The I-70 westbound traffic jam on July 28 was not the fault of normal congestion this time, but a drunk driver blocking a lane of traffic by mile marker 241.5.
Called in by multiple drivers, a 29-year-old Breckenridge man was found disoriented and under the influence of alcohol “and likely other narcotics,” according to Idaho Springs Police Chief Nate Buseck.
He previously had a DUI already, and this one’s traffic jam backed up the highway all the way to the bottom of Floyd’s Hill, said Buseck.
The suspicion of narcotics influence was at least partially due to the finding of “multiple grams of cocaine in individual portion bags” by officers during a search of the car before towing it, according to the ISPD.
The man was arrested, charged with a DUI, careless driving, driving revoked, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no proof of insurance.
“It’s just one of those things where you’re sent to a traffic hazard, and it turns into a felony arrest. Sometimes with I-70 it’s who it brings into the area,” Buseck said.
