Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is never a good idea. Not only is it illegal, but driving impaired also puts you and every other innocent person out on the road in danger. It’s a terrible idea to drive drunk if you’re alone, but doing it with a child in the vehicle is positively abhorrent behavior. A police officer in Arizona recently noticed a car speeding and decided to pull it over. What he found during that traffic stop is downright disturbing. Not only was the man allegedly drunk, but he was also babysitting and had a 1-year-old child in the back seat. Oh, and that’s not all; he also had a suspended license. Now, he faces multiple charges.
According to a release from the Page Police Department, Officer Ethan Young reported seeing a speeding car near South Lake Powell Blvd and Clubhouse Drive. Young began to trail the driver and noticed him weaving in and out of traffic. The officer initiated a traffic stop and noticed the driver, who was not named, allegedly showed signs of “extreme alcohol intoxication.” The officer found a 1-year-old child in the back seat and discovered the driver had a suspended license.
“During a DUI investigation, the driver submitted to a preliminary breath test, which showed his blood alcohol content to be .293, well over 3 times the legal limit. The driver was placed under arrest and later booked into custody,” the release explained. “Officer Young applied for a search warrant and collected a sample of the driver’s blood, which will be analyzed for alcohol content.”
Per police, Young arrested the driver, who faces charges of aggravated DUI, aggravated DUI with a child under 15 years old inside the vehicle, child endangerment, and speeding. He could face further charges as the investigation continues. Police returned the child to the little one’s mother, who was working at the time of the driver’s arrest. Nevertheless, police referred the case to the Department of Child Services.
It’s not clear what the man’s relationship was to the child, but the mother must have trusted him in some capacity to care for her baby. It sounds like he might have some serious issues with alcohol. Hopefully, he’ll get the help he needs and never drive intoxicated again.
