It appears that Clarksville has already had its first drunk driving car accident of the year. The impact of alcohol on driving ability is well-known and virtually undisputed, but people continue to drink and drive around the holidays. Authorities say that the first Clarksville DUI crash happened shortly after midnight on Tuesday when a Fort Campbell man crashed his car by the intersection of Tiny Town Road and Allen Road.
The 27-year-old driver is thought to have been intoxicated when he failed to negotiate a curve, crossed about five lanes of traffic and smacked into a curb. The impact sent his car flipping until it came to rest in a field.
Officers were able to give the man field sobriety tests, which he failed. He was then transported to Gateway Medical Center and cited for DUI.
Another man was cited for DUI after officers saw him driving without his headlights on shortly after midnight on New Year's Day. Authorities say that the 77-year-old driver was the first DUI arrest of the year. The man told authorities that he was not drunk but rather that he had been smoking marijuana for two days. He was supposedly on his way to the ATM to get money for more pot when he was pulled over.
The man was cited for DUI, driving on a suspended license and a violation of implied consent. Authorities say that the man failed field sobriety tests and exhibited slurred speech. It is unclear whether the man's slurred speech was attributable to his marijuana use or alcohol.
Source: The Leaf Chronicle, "CRIME WATCH: Clarksville's first DUI arrest, DUI crash ring in new year," Allison Smith, Jan. 2, 2011