Arizona Highway Patrol
A driver was charged with driving under the influence after the car carrier he was driving crashed in Arizona.
In a recent social media post, the Arizona Highway Patrol said in the early morning hours of Oct. 18, troopers responded to a rollover collision involving a car hauler on Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff.
Upon contact with the driver, troopers said they observed multiple signs of impairment. Field sobriety testing was initiated but had to be terminated when the driver was unable to follow instructions. A breath test later revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.168, more than twice the legal limit for most drivers and significantly above the stricter limit applied to commercial vehicle drivers, which is 0.04.
The driver told Troopers this was the second time he had crashed a commercial vehicle while intoxicated. Despite clear weather conditions, he claimed the truck had “slipped,” leading to the collision, according to the troopers' post.
The rollover caused damage to all nine vehicles being transported on the hauler and destroyed more than 200 feet of guardrail. In total, it is estimated to have caused about $500,000 in damage affecting 12 separate victims, according to the troopers.
The driver was arrested and booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility on DUI charges, with felony criminal damage charges also submitted, according to the troopers.
