Mexican citizen arrested in DUI crash

An undocumented immigrant was arrested in Lawrenceburg Sunday when law enforcement officers determined that he was intoxicated when he became involved in an automobile crash.

Officers with the Lawrenceburg Police Department were summoned to the Public Square by one of the drivers just after 8:00 p.m. The complainant reported that another driver had crashed into the driver's door of his vehicle on North Military Avenue, then left the scene without stopping. The victim told officers that he followed the driver to the Public Square where he stopped.

Officers identified the driver as thirty-one year old Jesus Arturo Vazquez. They report noticing a strong odor of alcohol when they approached Vazquez, and note that he appeared to be intoxicated.

Vazquez admitted to officers that he "had drunk a few" prior to the crash. He said that he possessed only a Mexican driver's license, and that he was in the country illegally.

Field sobriety tests were administered at the scene and officers report that Vazquez performed poorly. He was subsequently arrested and transported to the Lawrence County Detention Center. He was booked under charges of second offense DUI and violation of the implied consent law. He was also issued citations, charging him with driving without a valid driver's license, hit and run, and violation of the open container law. He was held in lieu of a $3,000 bond.

Vazquez is scheduled to answer the charges in General Sessions Court on May 5, 2017.