Captain Jason Berry
Government and Media Relations
(360) 596-4010 – office
(360) 596-4015 – fax
http://www.wsp.wa.gov

*** For Immediate Release***

Date: June 28, 2010
Contact: Trooper Christina Martin
Phone: (425) 766-0812
E-mail: Christina.Martin@wsp.wa.gov

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Alert Citizens Lead Troopers to Highly Intoxicated Driver

The Washington State Patrol is extending thanks to a number of citizens who called to report an extremely intoxicated driver in the Federal Way area yesterday. The man was eventually found and arrested, but not before also fighting with a trooper and hospital workers.

Calls started pouring in around 2:30 p.m., all reporting a green Chevrolet pickup truck driving very erratically.  The truck had also struck a vehicle on Military Road near Interstate 5 in Federal Way.  The truck entered southbound Interstate 5 from S. 200th Street and several callers remained close to it as it exited to S. 320th Street.  As troopers attempted to locate the truck, the driver began travelling eastbound on S. 320th Street in an attempt to get back on northbound Interstate 5.   The highly impaired driver changed his mind and began backing up the on-ramp to northbound Interstate 5.  Troopers arrived and quickly took the driver into custody.

The driver, Juan C Lopez-Ramirez, 24, from Seattle was in possession of brass knuckles, methamphetamine, and an open container of beer.  Preliminary blood tests showed him to have a BAC level of .340, more than four times the legal limit in Washington.

Lopez-Ramirez assaulted the arresting Trooper and fought with several hospital workers and security guards at St. Francis Hospital.  He was booked into the King County Jail for Assault 3rd degree, DUI and several misdemeanor warrants.

If you see someone driving erratically, that is an emergency and you should call 9-1-1. It’s legal to use your cell phone to report drivers who appear to be impaired.

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