At around 11:30 p.m. on the evening of May 13, an alleged drunk driver gave the officers at the Springfield, Colorado, Police Department the anecdote of a lifetime. The man was caught trying to switch seats with his dog to get out of a DUI.
Police say they first became interested in the driver after he was caught going 52 mph (84 km/h) in a 30 mph (48 km/h) zone. From here, I’ll hand it over to the SPD’s description of the situation.
“The driver attempted to switch places with his dog who was in the passenger seat, as the SPD officer approached and watched the entire process,” the SPD said. “The male party then exited the passenger side of the vehicle and claimed he was not driving.”
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Something about the interaction suggested to the officers that the driver was intoxicated, prompting them to ask him about his alcohol consumption. Upon hearing the question, he started running away from the police, but was apprehended about 20 yards (18 meters) away from the vehicle.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Department arrived, I assume as much out of curiosity as a desire to help, and cleared the driver medically. Somehow, neither they nor the Springfield Police were fooled by the driver’s ruse, and he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, driving while ability impaired, driving under suspension, speeding 20-24 over, and resisting arrest. Police also discovered that the driver had two warrants out for his arrest in Pueblo, Colorado, the city to which he was driving to on the eventful night.
Meanwhile, the dog he attempted to frame for the crimes is not facing any charges, and police say that it was let go with just a warning. They added that it has been given to an acquaintance of the driver’s to be taken care of while he is in jail.
