A 23-year-old St. Louis man was arrested for suspicion of driving while under the influence. In addition, after officers retraced his path on I-44, the man is suspected of leaving the scene of an accident, Eureka Police reported.
Police were called at about 11:30 p.m. June 1 for a possible drunk driver traveling in a silver Dodge Charger east on I-44. An officer, who was traveling west on the interstate, spotted a car fitting the description on the shoulder of the eastbound lanes with its hood open. However, when the officer turned around to travel east, he discovered the car was gone and he spotted it traveling west on I-44 with its hood open, the report said.
The officer then got back on westbound I-44 and saw the car pulled over on the shoulder of the exit ramp to Six Flags Road. When the officer approached the car, a 2014 Dodge Charger, the driver was standing in front of the car. The Charger’s hood was open, and the car was missing a portion of its front bumper and the hubcap from its right, front wheel, according to the report.
The officer asked the man what had happened, and the driver allegedly couldn’t tell the officer how the car had been damaged. The driver also allegedly told the officer he had drunk five beers, the report said.
A witness told the officer he saw the Charger on the I-44 exit ramp to Six Flags Road, and after the car slowed down for the stoplight, it allegedly ran a red light and its hood popped open, according to the report.
Officers were able to retrace the driver’s path on I-44 and discovered a damaged guardrail on the shoulder of the eastbound lanes. The officers also allegedly found portions of the Charger at the scene, the report said.
The man was arrested and taken to the Police Station, where he was booked and released to a sober driver. He was issued summonses to appear in Eureka Municipal Court for DWI, careless and imprudent driving, failure to stop at a red light and leaving the scene of an accident, Capt. David Wilson said.