Man Allegedly Tried To Switch Seats With Dog To Avoid DUI Arrest

A presumed drunk driver in Colorado who was pulled over for speeding allegedly tried to place his dog in the driver's seat of his vehicle in the hopes of avoiding arrest, the Associated Press reports.

According to a Facebook post from the Eastern Plains Police Department, an officer pulled over the suspect for speeding, and then watched as he allegedly wriggled over to the passenger side of the vehicle before stepping out to address him. The unidentified man, who police say showed signs of being intoxicated, said he was not the driver of the vehicle. When the officer asked how much he had to drink, the man allegedly took off on foot before officers caught him about 20 yards away from his vehicle.

The man was then taken to the hospital for evaluation and was later arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and driving while ability impaired. He also had previous warrants out for his arrest and was booked into the Baca County Jail.

The dog was handed over to a friend of the driver while he was in jail, the Facebook post said. “The dog does not face any charges and was let go with just a warning.”

A similar instance occurred in Georgia back in 2014, when 60-year-old Wesley Mark Terrell was arrested after he drove drunk to a grocery store and left his dog inside the car on a 99-degree day. When the cops questioned him, he said the dog drove him to the store.