Reckless Anchorage Driver Arrested after Falling Asleep at Dowling Intersection

 

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nchorage police say that they took an Anchorage man into custody on Tuesday morning at the intersection of Dowling and the Old Seward Highway on Reckless Driving, Violating Conditions of Release and suspected Driving Under the Influence of Drugs charges.

Police were notified at 9:37 am on Tuesday by a woman driving in the vicinity who reported that she had almost been sideswiped by a gray Dodge pickup as the driver was drifting through the three lanes of traffic without using his turn signal. 

The woman also reported that the driver was flailing his arms and shaking his head as he did so. As the report continued, the caller reported that the driver was now asleep at the wheel in the left-hand turn at the intersection.


Patrol officers located the driver, later identified as 44-year-old Miguel E Zavala, “facing westbound in the Dowling left-hand turn lane,” APD reported. Patrol vehicles proceeded to block in the vehicle and an officer approached the suspect vehicle as Zavala stirred from his slumber.

Zavala’s vehicle rolled forward into one of the patrol vehicles.

Field Sobriety Tests were administered at the scene before Zavala was taken to the Anchorage Jail for processing. No alcohol was found in his system. Zavala was administered toxicology testing and then booked on charges of Operating under the Influence (of suspected drugs), Reckless Driving, and Violation of Conditions of Release.

“Toxicology results will determine whether or not drugs were present in his system at the time of the offense and what type they were,” APD says.

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