Driver smashes into parked car, street signs, drives to jail

[jnelsoninjax]

A man who police say had been drinking at the Florida Theatre and a nearby bar ended up driving himself to jail Thursday morning.

Peter Thomas Makela, 35, of Gainesville was heading west on East Bay Street about 3 a.m. when he lost control of his Toyota truck and smashed into a parked car, a light pole and a "left lane must turn left" street sign, according to the report from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

Makela then turned north on Liberty Street and then made a right onto Forsyth Street - directly into the parking lot for the Duval County jail and Police Memorial Building.

A jail security guard heard a loud crash and squeeling that got progressively louder, according to the report. Then he saw the Tacoma pull into the parking lot, striking the curb as the driver attempted to park.

The guard walked out to offer assistance for what he thought was a flat tire and saw Makela stumble getting out of the damaged truck.

When the guard noticed Makela was acting strangely and continuously putting his hands in his pockets after being asked not to, he handcuffed him and walked him to the lobby of the Police Memorial Building.

An officer who walked outside to survey the damage, noticed the top of the light pole lying in the back of Makela's truck.

"He called himself 'an idiot,' " the officer said in the report.

Makela was arrested and charged with D.U.I., three counts of damaging property while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.

Source

[Japlabot]

I didn't know that a prison guard had the powers of arrest for a non-inmate, or maybe it was a citizens' arrest.

[zeta_immersion]

wel, he left the scene but went to the right place ... so, maybe a lighter sentence ... pffff ... no, same, for being stupid enough to drink .. then again, he had some proper thought paths for driving straight to jail

[Slugsie]

Makela was arrested and charged with D.U.I., three counts of damaging property while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.

Sounds like he brought the scene of the accident with him.

[jnelsoninjax]

I didn't know that a prison guard had the powers of arrest for a non-inmate, or maybe it was a citizens' arrest.

When the guard noticed Makela was acting strangely and continuously putting his hands in his pockets after being asked not to, he handcuffed him and walked him to the lobby of the Police Memorial Building.

He cuffed the man and took him to the police station, so technically he did not arrest him...