Saline police arrest 'super drunk' driver
A 31-year-old Ypsilanti man was arrested after registering a blood alcohol level of 0.22 early Saturday while driving in Saline, according to police.
A Saline police officer stopped the man at 2:52 a.m. Saturday near North Maple Road and Echo Court after he was clocked going 60 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to the police report. The man was observed swerving within the lane before he pulled over.
The man’s speech was slurred and he admitted to the responding officer that he had been drinking, the report stated. He failed all of the field sobriety tests other than reciting the alphabet and was placed under arrest, according to the report.
When the man was tested at the Saline Police Department, he registered a 0.22 blood alcohol level. A blood alcohol level that high can be prosecuted under Michigan’s so-called “super drunk” driver law, which calls for stiffer penalties for drivers with a blood alcohol level of 0.17 or higher.
In Michigan, you are considered past the legal drinking limit when your blood alcohol level reaches 0.08.
The man was released from police custody once he had a legal blood alcohol level. Police have submitted the case to Washtenaw County prosecutors for charges.
AnnArbor.com is not releasing the man’s name because he has not been formally charged with a crime.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
RJA
Sat, Apr 7, 2012 : 3:27 p.m.
Great Job Saline Police. I go to Saline often, and never fail to see an officer or two cruising the streets.
ChelseaBob
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 10:52 a.m.
Dave- Try the state police next time. I was on 94 in stop and go one evening and observed a very drunk person swerving and several near misses. I called and was patched to a statie who kept me on the line, and was there in about 3 minutes. He apprehended the very drunk driver. Made me feel good about my tax dollars for a change.
Dave
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 3:29 a.m.
Very easy to do 60 in that 35....kind of a money making area for Saline. But drunk? Not good. One time I followed a VERY drunk driver from downtown A2 all the way in to Saline and south of Mich Ave. I was transferred from Ann Arbor to Pittsfield Township to Saline police while I was on the phone. THey never got him because no dispatcher knew what they were doing. Instead I watched a guy repeatedly drive his car into the curb, cross over into the other lane, and do 10-30 MPH over the limit. Even the license plate I gave them didn't match the car. I give up trying to be the good guy when the police are too busy to do anything about drunks when people call.
aawolve
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 2:54 a.m.
9 times out of ten, you're not going to make it through Saline going 60.
JRW
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 : 1:43 a.m.
Throw the book at him, before he kills someone.
Halter
Mon, Mar 12, 2012 : 11:04 p.m.
"AnnArbor.com is not releasing the man's name because he has not been formally charged with a crime." Doesn't that make this a non-story at this point?
justcurious
Mon, Mar 12, 2012 : 10:21 p.m.
Released without a driver's license, I hope.
DepotTownDude
Sat, Apr 7, 2012 : 1:27 p.m.
Probably released without a license or his vehicle; it was most likely impounded. Unfortunately he can get the vehicle back pretty quickly if he has enough money.
Vette96drvr
Mon, Mar 12, 2012 : 10:47 p.m.
Good point although that doesnt typicaly stop people like that. I was on the road with Austin P.D. over the weekend, 2 drunk driving arrests. Both had suspended licenses.