A Drunk Driver Runs Off The Road, Getting Stuck On Top Of A Utility Box
- Travis Uresk
- May 30, 2024
- 2 min read
By Travis Uresk
5/30/24
| Vernal, Ut. | May 29th, 2024 |
Uintah County Deputy Simmons was dispatched to 1500 North 50 East in Vernal to a report of a reckless driver who had collided with a utility box off the side of the road.
Upon the deputy's arrival at the scene, he saw a white Chevrolet pickup with the same license plate that was dispatched crashing along the North side of 1500 North and resting on top of two power boxes.
As Deputy Simmons approached the vehicle, a single male occupant was slumped over in the driver's seat still holding onto the steering wheel. The deputy knocked on the window, startling the male, who immediately woke up and looked at the deputy.
The male rolled down the window and said that he was sleepy. At this time, Officer Ross with the Vernal City Police Department arrived and noticed the vehicle was still in drive. Deputy Simmons had the male driver exit the vehicle while the truck was placed into park and shut off the engine.
When the male exited the vehicle, the deputy asked him what his name was. He provided the officers with the name of 66-year-old Michael Nelson Swett. Michael was asked if he had been drinking anything, to which he replied that he had a few hours ago
drank some whiskey.
When asked how fast he was going when he crashed, Michael said he was just barely creeping along and did not provide a speed.
Deputy Simmons asked Michael if he would be willing to participate in field sobriety testing. Michael said he would do the tests but required a cane to walk and balance due to severe back issues from a previous incident. The deputy asked Michael if he had any new injuries from this incident, to which Michael informed him he believed he had not.
"Once I had concluded my testing, I determined Michael to be in a condition unfit to operate a motor vehicle on Utah roadways and placed Michael under arrest for Driving Under The Influence - Alcohol. After placing Michael under arrest, I transported him to the Uintah County Jail, where Michael was read the DUI Admonitions from the DUI Citation and consented to provide me with a breath sample. Using the state-certified Intoxilyzer 9000 Machine, Michael provided a breath sample of .057 BrAC. The legal limit to operate a motor vehicle in Utah is .050 BrAC."~Deputy Simmons
After the breath test, Michael was booked into the Uintah County Jail and later released.
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