Eureka Police will seek charges against a 63-year-old Villa Ridge man for persistent driving while intoxicated following a recent accident at Fifth Street and Meramec Boulevard. The man had at least two prior DWI convictions, police reported.
Officers got a call at approximately 8:40 p.m. Aug. 6 about the accident involving a pickup and an SUV. They arrived and saw a 2011 Toyota Tacoma in the grass west of the intersection, the report said.
A 42-year-old Republic woman, who was driving a 2014 GMC Terrain, said the pickup went through a red light and hit her SUV. An officer looked for the Tacoma and spotted at the nearby U.S. Bank, 10 Hilltop Village Center Drive, according to the report.
An officer stopped a man walking east on the shoulder of eastbound West Fifth Street and determined he had been driving the pickup. The man appeared intoxicated and reportedly said he had entered the intersection when the light was yellow before hitting the SUV. He later said the light had turned red before the accident, according to the report.
The man allegedly refused to perform field sobriety tests, saying, “I’m good. I’d rather not.” The officers arrested the man for alleged DWI and took him to the Police Station where he was booked and released to a sober driver.
Eureka Police will seek a charge against the man through the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for persistent DWI, Capt. Michael Werges said.
The pickup and SUV had extensive front-end damage and were towed. It is not known if the drivers were wearing seat belts, but no injuries were reported.