Ohio’s Westlake At 4 a.m. on July 11, a patrol officer noticed a car parked in the middle of Clague Road, close to Belmont Drive, with its brake lights glowing.
The officer approached the running car after observing it stay motionless and discovered that the driver was unconscious. Additionally, the officer noticed a gun concealed in the driver’s waistline.
According to a police department press release, Westlake police vehicles were stationed to block the vehicle when the driver woke up, reducing the likelihood of a vehicle pursuit. Using a drone and loudspeakers, officers attempted to wake the man for a number of minutes.
The police department claims that the de-escalation strategy of putting time and distance between the officers and the threat was effective. According to the authorities, the man woke up, got out of the car, looked dazed, grabbed the gun, and tossed it onto the back seat. While the officers stayed under cover, a drone camera tracked his movements.
After following the officer’s instructions, the suspect was taken into jail without any additional problems. The driver, a 33-year-old Maple Heights resident, was arrested by officers and sent to the Westlake jail, where he declined to take a breathalyzer test. The police agency said the man has been convicted of OVI twice before. He was charged with a new OVI and his license was suspended right away. According to the press release, he was also accused of stopping in the middle of the road, carrying a concealed weapon, and utilizing weapons while inebriated.
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The West Shore Sun has further information.
