Drinking and Driving Keeps Police Busy

Caledonia police were busy this past weekend with drinking and driving incidents and teens with beer or drugs.

The following are brief summaries of the incidents from police reports.

Friday, Dec. 14: A car swerved out of control and crossed oncoming lanes of traffic on Highway 38, leading to the arrest of a 42-year-old Racine man.

At 11:40 p.m., a northbound car in the 5600 block of Highway 38 swerved in front of a Caledonia police car, crossed over both lanes of traffic and went off the road. The car continued in the ditch before striking a guard rail and stopping in a ravine.

The driver, who said he was attempting to answer his cellphone when the accident occurred, was cited for inattentive driving, operating while intoxicated and driving a non-registered vehicle. 

The man told police that he consumed a couple beers and shots of tequila.

Saturday, Dec. 15: A 23-year-old Racine man was cited for operating while intoxicated Saturday in the 5500 block of 3 Mile Road at 4:12 a.m. after a resident reported hearing a crash. The man was also cited for operating while suspended and inattentive driving.

Saturday, Dec. 15: Caledonia police responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle may have interrupted a teen party.

While responding to a call at 11:58 p.m. about a suspicious vehicle in the 2700 block of 5 Mile Road, police saw three men or teens run across Middle Road and cut through yards on Rebecca Drive.

Police stopped a car in the area driven by a 17-year-old Racine teen with an 18-year-old woman passenger. The office smelled marijuana, conducted a search and found a bag of the drug. The teen driver was cited for possession of marijuana and being out past curfew.

A short time later, Wind Point police called and reported that a fleeing suspect  dropped dropped a half-full case of beer on Middle Road at Rebecca Drive. The suspect got away.

Sunday, Dec. 16: A 17-year-old Racine teen was pulled over for speeding and was arrested for operating while intoxicated at 3 Mile and Wyoming roads Sunday at 1:21 a.m.

Two female passengers, a 16-year-old from Racine and an 18-year-old from Mount Pleasant, were also ticketed for underage possession/consumption of alcohol.

In addition to an empty Bud light can, police found a butterfly knife and a glass pipe in the car. The teens said they had been at a friend’s house on 4 Mile Road.

In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The arrested person is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.