Drunk driver takes out fence
By Kathy McCarty
PRESQUE ISLE — A once fenced-in parking lot is temporarily open, after a drunk driver took out the barrier when he missed the turn at the intersection of Main and Church streets on May 9.
The Presque Isle Police Department were notified of the incident around 10:25 p.m. when a caller reported a blue van had just had an accident on Church Street and was leaving the scene. The caller continued to follow the van while Officer Lynn Hartley cleared another complaint and tried to catch up with them.
The vehicle was followed until it made a left onto the Washburn Road. Washburn police were notified to watch for the vehicle. Hartley was able to catch up to the van just over the town line in Washburn.
The van operator, identified as Aaron Bragg, 37, of Washburn, was arrested for OUI and transported to the PIPD. He was also charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident. His court date is July 18. Hartley noted that the back two windows on the passenger side of the van were broken and there was a scrape down the side of the vehicle.
Cpl. Wayne Selfridge, of the PIPD, went to the scene of the accident to determine damage. In addition to the fence, Selfridge found a post had been struck, exposing live wires. An electrician was called to make repairs.
On May 10, Officer Kevin Schumacher, PIPD, located the owner of the property and informed them of what had occurred. Police had not received an estimate on damages from the owner at presstime.
