Nathan L. Flaherty, 40, of Eureka has been charged with driving while intoxicated as a persistent offender and resisting arrest, both class E felonies that carry penalties of up to four years in prison. He is also charged with failure to drive on the right half of a roadway, a class C misdemeanor that is punishable by up to 15 days in jail and a fine of up to $700, court records show.
Eureka Police arrested Flaherty at about 3:50 p.m. March 11 after following him to a home in the 300 block of Williams Drive from a car wash. Officers were called to the Club Car Wash, 75 Legends Parkway, after someone saw Flaherty drive a 2015 Jeep Cherokee over a curb and appear to be intoxicated at the car wash, police reported.
When officers arrived at the car wash, they saw Flaherty again drive over a curb while exiting the business onto northbound Legends Parkway. They then saw Flaherty cross a double yellow line when turning onto Augustine Road and cross the center line on Augustine Road three times before turning on their cruiser’s emergency lights and sirens, the case’s probable-cause statement said.
Flaherty did not stop after the officers turned on the cruiser’s lights and sirens and he drove to a home in the 800 block of Williams Road and pulled into the driveway, the report said.
Flaherty attempted to go into the house but stumbled after getting out of the SUV and used the driver’s side door and other vehicles in the driveway to maintain his balance, according to the report.
Officers stopped Flaherty before he reached the door. Flaherty refused to perform field sobriety tests, and he attempted to pull away from the officers when he was arrested, the report said.
Flaherty was taken to the Police Station, where he was booked. Officers discovered he had been arrested at least five times for suspicion of DWI, and he had been convicted on at least two DWI charges, the report said.
The St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Flaherty on March 12. He was released March 21 from St. County Jail after posting $6,500, 10 percent of a $65,000 cash bond, court documents said.