Charges filed in Lighthouse Grocery Outlet crash
S
The Tullahoma driver who crashed into Lighthouse Grocery Outlet earlier this month has been hit with multiple charges, including DUI.
The driver, Roy Dale Harrell, was charged with DUI, driving on a revoked license, hit and run, immediate notice of accident and violation implied consent law.
According to the police report, Tullahoma police officers were dispatched to Lighthouse Grocery Outlet at 1200 S. Jackson St. at around 6:50 p.m. to a vehicle accident involving a building. Upon arriving to the scene, the officer observed a gray Ford Edge “sticking out” of the grocery store, and observed Harrell near the vehicle. The officer said in the report that when he asked Harrell if he was the one driving, Harrell stated he did not drive the vehicle and the driver had run off. Immediately after Harrell’s statement multiple witnesses at the scene came forward and identified Harrell as the driver.
Officers then took Harrell away from the crowd to conduct a standardized field sobriety test while collecting information from other witnesses. Per the report, Harrell had horizontal nystagmus in both eyes, could not keep his head still while performing vertical nystagmus, attempted and was unable to walk and turn as instructed, nearly falling over during the turn portion of the walk as noted by the report. Harrell also failed the one-leg stand test, and the officers stopped the sobriety test early for Harrell’s safety due to him nearly falling multiple times.
Officers ran Harrell’s license through dispatch, and confirmed that it was revoked. Harrell was transported to the Tullahoma Police Department to be read implied consent, where he denied consent to having his blood obtained to be tested. Harrell was then transported to Coffee County Jail, where a search warrant was written and granted to obtain blood, which was taken without incident. The report stated while driving back to Coffee County Jail Harrell told officers that he had been drinking.
