Drunk Driver Rear Ends SUV On HWY 1 Saturday Night [PHOTOS]

Saturday night became quite eventful for me and my family as we witnessed a wreck involving a drunk driver and an SUV on highway 1 near Mooringsport  just south of KSLA road.

Saturday night, while me and my family were returning southbound (towards downtown) from a tower site following a power outage (I'm not just good looking, I'm also the Chief Engineer for Townsquare Media), we became instant witnesses to a small Toyota truck rear ending an SUV in the northbound lane.

The wreck happened around 6:30pm on Hwy 1 between KSLA road and McCain Road.  The temperature was very cold, but the roads were dry.

The small truck was so close the SUV as it came over the hill, in my peripheral vision, I first thought it to be a trailer blowing out a tire.  The front end of the small truck instantly erupted throwing shards of glass, rubber, debris and smoke up as it smacked the SUV's rear end.  The smaller truck swerved after striking the SUV and I thought it was sure to veer into my lane.  After the collision, the truck spun around full circle and wound up facing the other direction facing southbound on the northbound curb.

I instantly pulled to the right hand side of the road and threw my flashers on, checked my rear view and made a u-turn and threw on my brights casting my lights directly on the smashed up truck.  The driver was motionless, slumped over the steering wheel.  I feared the worst.  I called 911 and jumped out of our vehicle.  I rushed to the side of the truck, both giving the operator information and trying to ask the guy the questions she was asking me.  He wasn't very responsive.  He was breathing, and had a bloody nose, mouth and had his head resting in the palm of his left hand.  He WAS buckled up thank goodness.

Just then two other good Samaritans came up and offered to help.  They were yelling to the driver of the small truck.  I went around to the passenger door and couldn't get it open. I backed up away from the truck and watched as the other two men attempted to open the drivers door to check on him.  The other driver (a young man about 20) and his girlfriend walked up from the bottom of the hill.  They were on the phone and weren't quite sure where they were.  Both of them turned out fine.

As we were checking on the driver of the Toyota, an EMS pickup arrived and the guy got out and went straight to the driver's side door of the pickup.  They finally got him up and out of the truck after the ambulance got there and put him on a backboard.  Sherriff's officers swarmed the place and began doing paperwork and marking the highway with spray paint.  I finally got a chance to write down my statement on the hood of the cruiser and tore free after speaking to the paramedics, officers and others on scene.  Man it was cold.  It could have wound up way worse for several on the roads, but somehow everyone was able to walk away.  After most others left and I was finishing up my statement, one of the Deputies said they found his DWI paperwork in his glovebox and that he had an outstanding warrant.  See below what something like drinking and driving can cost you.