APPLETON (NBC 26) — Police are urging drivers to make safe choices after a suspected drunk driver involved in a hit-and-run was caught on camera and later arrested over the weekend.
Officers were dispatched to a downtown parking lot after reports of a hit-and-run crash. According to police, the caller told dispatchers the driver who caused the crash appeared visibly intoxicated before leaving the scene.
As officers searched the area for the suspect vehicle, Officer Lahti encountered what police described as a “not-so-subtle clue.”
“Sometimes you find the suspect. Sometimes the suspect finds you,” the department said in a social media post.
The driver was arrested on suspicion of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated and cited for additional moving violations.
Police said the incident was not isolated. Officers arrested three people for OWI-related offenses that same night alone.
Authorities are reminding drivers that impaired driving is preventable and are encouraging people to plan ahead before drinking.
Police recommend choosing a designated driver, using a rideshare service, calling a taxi, or asking a sober friend or family member for a ride home.
“A decision to drive impaired can put countless people at risk,” police said. “Everyone deserves to make it home safely, including the people sharing the road with you.”
