Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: A man who crashed into a parked vehicle is believed to have been driving while under the influence of alcohol.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A man was arrested on suspicion of DUI after he crashed his truck into a parked vehicle in the early morning hours of Friday, Aug. 6.
Sergio Flores, 40, was arrested for DUI and was given a ride home and released after a blood draw was performed for testing purposes.
According to a Safford Police report, officers were dispatched at about 12:27 a.m. to the area of 13th Street and 9th Avenue regarding a truck that had struck a parked vehicle.
Upon arrival, an officer located a Chevy Silverado on 9th Avenue facing south. The truck had front-end damage and the driver was attempting to put the vehicle into gear.
A witness at the scene reportedly told an officer that he had been behind the truck while traveling south on 8th Avenue and that the truck was swerving all over the road. The witness said the truck turned west on 13th Street and he continued south on 8th Avenue but then heard a loud crash. He returned to the area and saw the truck had crashed into a parked vehicle and that the driver – later identified as Flores – was attempting to leave the scene. The witness advised that a woman confronted Flores when he was attempting to leave and took the keys out of the truck.
As the officer approached the Chevy, Flores allegedly was still attempting to put it into gear. Flores showed multiple signs of alcohol intoxication, according to the report, but denied having anything to drink that night.
After failing a field sobriety test, Flores was placed under arrest for DUI and was transported to the Safford Police Department, where he consented to a blood draw and was released afterward.
Possible DUI charges and more are pending lab analysis and review by prosecutors.
