In a little twist of irony, a Del City police officer working overtime to stop DUI was involved in an accident with a suspected drunk driver.
According to the Del City Police Department Facebook page, the officer was patrolling as part of the ENDUI program, a collaborative program between theOklahoma Highway Safety Office and local law enforcement agencies.
Police Captain Brian Wofford, whose patrol car was involved in the accident, told local reporters that he had just begun his overtime ENDUI shift late Saturday night when the accident occurred. He said hesaw another vehicle speed past him from the opposite direction and was going to pull that car over as his first stop of the night.
Capt. Wofford turned on his emergency lights and made a U-turn to follow the speeding vehicle, but before he could conduct the traffic stop, another carcame up behind him, apparently not noticing the flashing lights, and plowed into the back of the patrol car, totaling the vehicle.
The police captain reports that the driver of the other vehicle told him he "didn't mean to hit the police."
According to reports, the driver, identified as Willie Thomas Robbins, 58, hasn't had a valid Oklahoma driver's license since 1992. He also has an extensivecriminal record dating back to 1989--a record which includes drug possession, assault, and multiple arrests for DUI and driving without a license.
While Capt. Wofford set out Saturday night to apprehend drunk drivers, he likely did not expect one to quite literally drive into his vehicle. Neitherthe police captain nor Robbins was injured in the crash. However, Robbins was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on complaints of driving withouta license, driving under suspension, felony DUI, and transporting an open container. He remains in custody in lieu of $1,500 bond.
In Oklahoma, a first offense of DUI is typically a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of one year in county jail. A second or subsequent DUI offense isa felony, and the potential penalty depends on whether it is a first, second, or subsequent felony DUI. A person with multiple DUI convictions facesthe possibility of up to 20 years in prison.
Click here to learn more about Oklahoma DUI laws, or call (405)608-4990 to speak with an attorney about your case.
