News

Actions

Crash fleeing driver caught in unrelated OWI stop

Posted at 5:02 PM, Mar 14, 2015
and last updated 2015-03-14 17:03:21-04

VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. — A man that crashed his car with his wife and child inside Friday morning was arrested for fleeing the scene of the accident later in the day after police pulled him over with suspicions of impaired driving.

A 21-year-old man was stopped for weaving his car within it’s lane, a vision obstruction, and defective equipment while driving on Red Arrow Highway near 62nd St.  The man was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the stop.

Officers would later discover that the man had been in an accident earlier in the day when his 22-year-old wife and their 2-year-old child were in the car with him.

The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department employed a ‘DRE’ (Certified Drug Recognition Expert) to assist in evaluating the condition of the driver during the stop.  The driver admitted to being under the influence of several prescription medications, performed poorly to evaluations, and appeared to be impaired.

After a K9 Officer was called to the scene, a thorough search of the vehicle was conducted.  It revealed a small amount of methamphetamine, and several devices used to smoke and snort meth.  Additionally, six grams of marijuana and additional paraphernalia was found on the driver’s person.

During the search of the vehicle, officers also discovered fresh mud on it and damage to it’s body.  It was then discovered that the man was in an accident earlier in the day while traveling westbound on I-94 near the Hartford exit.  He had lost control of his car, run off the roadway, and struck a ditch area.  He left the scene of the crash and failed to report it to police.  His wife sustained minor injuries- the child was uninjured.

The 21-year-old driver was arrested on the following charges:

  • OWI: Drugs
  • Failed to Report Traffic Crash
  • Possession of Methamphetamine
  • Possession of Marijuana