Police arrested a Hampton man following a car crash Tuesday, and officers say tests show the man was impaired and driving at about three times the legal limit.
Officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department arrested Carl Lester Hardin Jr., 65, of 130 Spring St., Hampton, Tuesday evening and charged him with second offense driving under the influence.
Shortly after 7 p.m. on Tuesday, CCSD Deputy Samantha Maney responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident on Sunrise Drive in the Hunter community. When she arrived on the scene, Maney spoke with Hardin, who said a dog ran out in front of his truck while he was driving and he ran into the ditch.
“Mr. Hardin had an odor of alcohol emitting from his person and was very unsteady on his feet,” Maney said.
While checking the scene of the crash, Maney said she saw several beer cans inside the truck, in the truck bed and lying in the grass around the truck. “There was also an empty alcohol bottle laying on the dashboard above the steering wheel and a half-emptied bottle of alcohol in the floorboard,” she said.
Maney said Hardin performed poorly on field sobriety tests.
A check of Hardin’s license revealed he had been convicted of DUI in 2010. Maney arrested Hardin and charged him with second offense driving under the influence.
Officers administered a breathalyzer test to Hardin, and Maney said he blew a 0.226, which is about three times the legal limit of 0.08.
Hardin appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court Wednesday morning where he was arraigned. Judge Keith Bowers appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent Hardin and set the man’s bond at $1,000. Hardin is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 12.