North Carolina Officer Injured After Chasing Suspected Drunk Driver

A police officer was hospitalized last weekend after a high-speed chase ended poorly. The officer suspected the driver of the car he was chasing to have been under the influence at the time. The chase came to a halt early Sunday morning when Officer Ron Brown lost control of his squad car and crashed into a house not far from Highway 74. He sustained an injury to his ribcage and was taken to Carolina Medical Center for treatment.

The driver being pursued crashed his vehicle shortly after Brown. The driver was arrested and charged with reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, and speeding. The driver did not receive any DWI charges.

It is likely Officer Brown was keeping an attentive eye on the roads for drunk drivers as part of North Carolina’s month-long Booze It and Lose It campaign that was in effect until Sunday. Though poor weather and reduced staff around the holidays led to a decrease in the number of DUI arrests last weekend, police did arrest and charge a handful of individuals throughout the state. The bulk of law enforcement’s attention was diverted to assisting those who had been involved in car accidents over the last weekend.

Police throughout the state aims to reduce the number of drunk driving arrests throughout the holidays with campaigns such as Booze It and Lose It. The goal is to scare potential drunk drivers into practicing responsible consumption or to arrange for a designated driver. Through increased traffic stops and patrols, the word continues to spread from year to year that North Carolina roads are not friendly places for drinking and driving, so the best plan is always to plan ahead.

Sources:

• Fox Charlotte “Officer Injured After Crashing Into House During Chase” 1/2/11
• Watauga Democrat “Few DWI arrests over the weekend” by Kellen Moore 1/5/11