A 36-year-old Athens man was arrested on March 14 after driving under the influence and crashing his vehicle into the rear of a pickup truck on Lexington Road.
According to a report by authorities, Collin O’Neal Smith, a resident of Hill Street, was behind the wheel of his wrecked Mercury Marquis when police arrived at the scene. The incident occurred as a 51-year-old man was pulling into a gas station.
Upon investigation, Smith displayed clear signs of impairment and was unable to explain the events leading up to the collision. He refused to perform roadside sobriety tests.
Inside Smith’s vehicle, officers discovered an open can of High Noon hard seltzer vodka and a half-full bottle of Tito’s Vodka.
Smith admitted to consuming approximately six beers downtown. While being transported to the hospital for evaluation, he informed an officer, “I have a drinking problem.” Blood was drawn from Smith for toxicology testing at the hospital, and he was examined for injuries.
Smith was subsequently booked into the county jail on charges of driving under the influence (DUI), following another vehicle too closely, and open containers of alcohol in a vehicle. He was released on bond two days later, with an arraignment scheduled for April 7.
