Tow Truck Driver detains suspected inpared driver (OH)

[TowNews]

Tow truck driver avoids crash, turns in OVI suspect: North Olmsted Police Blotter

 

NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio –

OVI: I-480

An officer at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 responded to a call of a reckless driver on I-480 westbound that exited at Great Northern Boulevard.

 

The officer spotted the car pulling into the Great Northern Mall parking lot. Police approached the car and found two men standing outside of it. One of the men said he was a tow truck driver who called police on the suspect because the two had been driving on I-480 when the suspect, who had been driving only 45 mph, suddenly changed lanes and nearly collided with the tow truck. The truck driver said he slammed on his brakes to avoid a crash, and the suspect’s car continued straddling two lanes.

 

The truck driver was concerned the car driver was either intoxicated or having a medical emergency. The truck driver followed the car into the mall parking lot, parked directly behind the suspect’s car, and grabbed the suspect by the wrist to prevent him from walking away.

 

When police spoke with the car driver, officers smelled an alcoholic beverage. He admitted to having a few alcoholic drinks. His speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy, and he was swaying in place, according to a police report.

 

Police charged the suspect with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, driving without a license, and having an open container in a motor vehicle.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

Before it starts, we ask you keep the legal concerns regarding detaining the driver professional

 

[Stubborn66]

The driver must have given enough information to the police so that the officer knew when he saw the tow truck in the lot he knew to go to it.  I commend the driver for calling it in and following him.  Grabbing the guy by the wrist was a risky was taking a chance that the driver may not have had to take but it sounds as though the guy was too drunk to even stand.

 

Legalities aside, sometimes you just have to do what is right.  That guy probably would have kept driving until he hurt someone.

 

Thankfully it turned out as it did