Police chief says man's erratic driving gave him away
Sunday, July 19, 2009
DESLOGE — A tip from some alert eye witnesses at Desloge Wal-Mart Supercenter resulted in the arrest of a 30-year-old Park Hills man on Sunday. Desloge Police Officer Brad Judge and Corporal Sean Roney were dispatched to Wal-Mart in reference to an intoxicated man driving a vehicle.
“When they arrived at Wal-Mart the officers talked with the witnesses that observed the vehicle,” said Police Chief James Bullock. “They said the driver was very erratic and almost caused a couple of accidents. The officers asked the witnesses to describe the subject.”
Bullock said the witnesses were able to give a description of the suspect. The officers then went inside Wal-Mart to find the man. After the officers found the man they asked him to come outside the store.
“He was staggering and stumbling around,” Bullock said. “His eyes were glassed and his speech was slurred. He smelled like alcohol and burned marijuana.”
Bullock said once outside, the officers asked the man if he had any illegal items on him. The man admitted to having rolling papers, according to Bullock.
“After more conversation the suspect admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana earlier in the day,” the chief said. “He also said he had taken some narcotic medicine. At that time he was placed under arrest.”
Bullock said the man consented to a search of his vehicle and marijuana was found inside his glove box. The man was then transported the Desloge Police Station for processing. He is facing probable charges of possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. He also had three outstanding warrants for his arrest.
“The citizen witnesses that reported this made it possible to take this intoxicated person off the streets and recover the illegal drugs,” Bullock said.
