Man tells police he had "several drinks" before crash | Crime

A Pocahontas man was arrested Saturday night after Caruthersville police say he slammed into a brick sign in front of the high school.

Just after 11 p.m. the Caruthersville Police Department received a call about a single-vehicle accident at the intersection of West 16th and Ward Avenue, according to a release from City Marshall Tony Jones.

When officers arrived at the scene they found a tan Chevy Malibu that had struck the brick sign in front of the Caruthersville High School.

While speaking to the 67-year-old driver, officers said they could “smell a strong odor commonly associated with alcoholic beverages.”

The officers then had the man perform three standardized field sobriety tests after he reportedly admitted having “several drinks” before the accident.

After failing all three tests, officers arrested the man and took him to the Caruthersville Police Department. 

The man, who has not been identified, was later released pending the filing of formal charges for DWI and property damage through the Pemiscot County Prosecuting Attorney’s office.