Police: Man Arrested For DWAI After Causing Two Accidents

Harrison police charged 41-year-old Harrison resident with driving while ability impaired after they say he caused at least two small accidents while driving on Halstead Avenue last week.

On Sept. 11, at about 10:30 p.m. police noticed a vehicle strike a parked car twice near the intersection of Halstead Avenue and King Street. While police approached the vehicle a witness said that the man had been driving on the wrong side of the road on Halstead Avenue and was involved in a different accident at the intersection of Halstead and Harrison Avenues.

Police had to reach into the vehicle to put it in park and turn off the ignition, according to a police report. When asked to exit the vehicle police said the man was staggering and appeared incoherent. After a brief field sobriety test, the responding officer felt it was unsafe to continue on the street and transported the man to police headquarters.

At headquarters police say the suspect failed numerous field sobriety tests. A report also says that the suspect admitted to taking two Ambien sleeping pills and a Paxil pill one hour before driving. He also admitted to his involvement in the accident at the Harrison and Halstead Avenue intersections, but said he spoke to the other driver and left after no damage was found.

The suspect submitted to a blood-alcohol test, which revealed a .00 BAC. He also submitted a urine test. He was placed under arrest for driving while ability impaired and later released.