Driver crashes into backyard; alcohol a factor

A 48-year-old Chandler man drove his car into the backyard of a Rancho El Dorado house Sunday afternoon.

“We believe it is ‘Extreme’ based on initial observation,” Sergeant Hal Koozer said of what would be the second Extreme DUI arrest in as many days. Extreme DUI signifies a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or more. The legal limit is .08.

Yesterday, a Casa Grande man was arrested near Porter Road and Honeycutt Road and charged with Extreme DUI after an alert homeowner, from whom the lost driver solicited directions, called police.

The latest incident occurred just before 6 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Rancho El Dorado Parkway and Van Loo Drive. The driver told officers he was leaning over to get his cell phone and lost control.

“He had an odor of alcohol,” Koozer said on scene. “We’re doing a DUI investigation right now.”

Jamie Stephens lives at the house and said it was lucky her 5-year-old son wasn’t playing in the backyard as he often does. Stephens was in the front yard at the time and was alerted by her two barking pit bull dogs. She said it was also fortunate the dogs did not go after the driver, who pulled out of the yard after knocking down the cinder block wall.

“He stashed his beer can in my bush,” Stephens said. “It was still cold and I don’t drink, so it has to be from him.”

Officer Justin Thornton, the arresting officer in last night’s Extreme DUI case, encourages residents to alert police of any erratic driving, such as swerving and fluctuating speeds. “If it looks like they’re falling asleep,” Thornton said, “feel free to call 911.”

“We’re sure we’ll find more, unfortunately,” Koozer said of drunk drivers during the Memorial Day weekend. “We hope we don’t. We hope people will use designated drivers.”

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Photos by Scott Bartle