A 41-year-old Cincinnati man was arrested after he allegedly drove an SUV into an Arnold Police vehicle. The crash occurred after the suspect was found asleep at a traffic signal at Richardson Road and Richardson Square Drive, Arnold Police reported.
Officers got a call at approximately 4 a.m. Nov. 26 about the 2017 Nissan Rogue stopped at the signal for about 10 minutes. The man appeared to be asleep in the SUV with the engine running, the report said.
Officers placed concrete blocks under the front and back wheels so the SUV wouldn’t move, and the Rock Community Fire Protection District was called to assist the man. However, the suspect apparently woke up, drove over the blocks and turned into the Save A Lot grocery store parking lot, 3610 Richardson Square Drive, and drove slowly around the lot before parking in a space north of the grocery store, according to the report.
When police approached the Rogue, the man refused to turn off the engine or roll down the driver-side window. Because the man was not responding, an officer broke the driver-side window in an attempt to get inside and turn off the engine, the report.
After the window was shattered, the man put the SUV into reverse and struck the Arnold Police vehicle, a 2017 Ford Explorer, causing about $1,000 worth of damage. Then, the man drove the Rogue onto Richardson Square Drive, where another officer deployed spike strips to disable the SUV. After driving over the strips, the man drove onto the parking lot outside the Marcus Arnold Cinema, and he was arrested without further incident, Arnold Police reported.
Officers believe the man was intoxicated, and he was taken to the Police Station, where he was booked and held until he was sober, according to the report.
Arnold Police will seek charges against the man through the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for driving while intoxicated, first-degree property damage and felony resisting arrest, Lt. Jeremy Christopher said.