Driver who rolled semitruck Friday in Wichita Falls charged with DWI
The driver who rolled a semitruck that came to rest hanging off of an overpass Friday night in Wichita Falls has been charged with misdemeanor DWI, court documents show.
David Gutierrez of El Paso was free Monday from the Wichita County Detention Center on a $750 bond, according to online jail records.
Gutierrez faces up to 180 days in jail and a fine up to $2,000 if convicted. Police checked records and did not find any previous DWI convictions for him.
Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A probable cause affidavit laid out the Wichita Falls police's case for arresting and charging Gutierrez.
At 8:47 p.m. Friday, an officer was sent to a possibly injury accident on the Lloyd Ruby Overpass in the area of 15th and Broad streets, according to allegations in the affidavit. The officer was advised that a semitruck was hanging off of the overpass above 15th Street.
Upon arrival at the crash scene, the officer immediately saw a Freightliner turned over on its side in a northbound lane of 1500 Central Freeway.
He saw other officers extracting Gutierrez from the cab of the semitruck. Gutierrez was the only occupant of the truck, and the airbags had deployed.
He seemed dazed, and when the officer spoke to Gutierrez, he detected the odor of alcohol coming from him, according to allegations. Gutierrez had bloodshot eyes and heavily slurred speech, and he struggled to maintain his balance.
Gutierrez told the officer he had been drinking — "one drink" in the last hour, according to allegations. Other officers saw empty beer bottles in the cab of the semi.
Gutierrez declined to participate in a field sobriety test, and the officer arrested him and put him in the back of a patrol unit, according to allegations.
But Gutierrez consented to providing a blood specimen for a blood-alcohol test, and the officer drove him to United Regional Heath Care System so a sample could be drawn.
After URHCS staff drew the sample and cleared Gutierrez medically, he was transported to the Wichita County Detention Center.
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Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news, investigative projects and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Driver who rolled semitruck Friday in Wichita Falls charged with DWI
