Man reportedly panics during sobriety testing

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A trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety while on patrol on Interstate 30 westbound late Wednesday reported he clocked a 2016 Toyota Tacoma driving 98 miles per hour in a 75-mph speed zone.

In his report, the trooper stated that, as he caught up to the truck, he “saw the truck erratically changing lanes and swerving out of its own lane. It almost sideswiped an 18-wheeler as it passed” and “was following too closely to other traffic, and it appeared to almost run into the back of another 18-wheeler.”

The trooper turned on his emergency lights, at which point he alleged “the pickup abruptly came to a stop by pulling all the way off the road and coming to a stop in the grass next to the shoulder.”

The Douglas, Texas man, 33, who was the driver was reported to smell of alcohol and to show signs of possible intoxication.

“There was an open can of cold Busch beer in the driver’s cup holder,” the report read.

The trooper wrote in his report he attempted administering sobriety testing; however, according to the report, “during the walk-and-turn test, he [the driver] flopped onto the ground, began to convulse and started screaming that he was having a panic attack and that he ‘couldn’t do this.’” The trooper stated he was able to calm the man but “determined that he was intoxicated, and I felt that it would be unsafe to continue [sobriety testing] due to his sudden outburst and reaction… .”

EMTs were called to check the man, who allegedly agreed to a blood draw on-scene. The man was reportedly determined by EMTs to be fit for jail.

The man was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated, first offense, with an open container.