TROY, Mich. – A man was charged with driving drunk for the sixth time after he struck a Troy mailbox right in front of its owner and lied about being late for work, officials said.
The incident happened around 1:25 p.m. April 27 on Larchwood Avenue, west of John R Road in Troy, according to authorities.
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A man was driving home when he noticed a 2016 Jeep Wrangler behind him driving recklessly, police said. As the man prepared to turn left into his driveway, the Jeep tried to pass him on the left, and the man had to go into his lawn to avoid being struck by the Jeep, authorities said.
The Jeep struck the man’s mailbox and drove off, officials said. The man followed the Jeep to 1820 Brinston Drive, where it parked, he said.
The man approached the driver of the Jeep and told him that he had knocked over his mailbox, officials said. The driver of the Jeep denied hitting the mailbox and said the conversation was making him late for work, according to police.
Officers said they arrived and spoke to an employee at the business, who said the driver of the Jeep had already left for the day.
When officers spoke to a supervisor, the employee they had originally spoke to interrupted and said he had lied and that he was the driver of the Jeep, according to authorities.
Police said they noticed an odor of alcohol on the employee, and he admitted to taking his prescribed medication of Suboxone and Xanax at 5 a.m. He told officers he took an additional Xanax pill at 11 a.m., police said.
Officers asked him to perform sobriety tests, but he performed poorly, authorities said. They took him into custody.
When officers searched the vehicle, they said they found two open bottles of alcohol in the back pocket of the passenger’s seat, which was partially filled.
Police took the driver to the Troy Police Lock-up Facility, where he refused to submit to a blood test, authorities said. A search warrant was executed and blood was drawn, officials said.
Authorities determined the man’s license had been suspended and he had prior convictions of driving with a suspended license.
He was charged with driving with a suspended license -- second offense, transporting an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol -- sixth offense. The charges are pending laboratory results.
Official clarified that he has five prior convictions of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.