At approximately 3:45 on Friday afternoon, a driver suspected of DUI took police on a slow chase on I-70 before he started ramming into other cars to attempt to elude the police. When the driver began running into other cars, an officer shot the driver. The unidentified man was taken to St. Anthony’s hospital. His condition has not yet been released. It is also currently unknown what charges the driver may face as a result of the incident.
It is unclear whether police suspected the driver of DUI before or after they actually caught up to him, but he may be charged with DUI, reckless driving and vehicular eluding. Fortunately, other than the driver, it does not sound as though anyone was hurt. This is fortunate not only for the other drivers on I-70 this afternoon, but also fortunate for the man arrested because had anyone been injured or killed, he would likely be charged with vehicular assault or vehicular homicide, which are very serious felonies.
DUI, reckless driving and eluding are all major traffic offenses. Major traffic offenses are tracked by the Department of Motor Vehicle because if a driver accumulates too many in a certain period of time, DMV will classify the driver as a habitual traffic offender. Driving as a habitual traffic offender is a class one misdemeanor punishable by up to 18 months in the county jail and the revocation on the driving privilege will be extended as well.