After Striking Parked Car DUI Suspect Charges Police Officer, Gets Tased
Missoula Police were called out Saturday evening, May 19, just after 4:00 p.m. to multiple reports of a man driving dangerously through town.
“911 began receiving citizen complaints of erratic vehicle driving near the intersection of Reserve and 3rd Street… essentially that he was having trouble maintaining a lane, that he was taking wide turns, one complainant indicated that he nearly struck other vehicles and that he came close to pedestrians in the roadway.”
Police caught up to the man near the intersection of Russel and Broadway and initiated a traffic stop. The man pulled into an apartment complex where his car hit a parked vehicle. Even after the car came to rest, the suspect continued to hit things.
“The driver was identified as 32-year-old Justin Griffin,” Welsh said. “The officer made initial observations that gave him a suspicion that the person was in fact intoxicated. During the investigation Mr Griffin actually lunged at the officer and shoved him. At that time, the second officer on the scene deployed his Taser and Mr. Griffin was taken into custody.”
Griffin now faces an assault charge for hitting the officer, on top of a felony Dui charge. The Felony DUI is a result of Mr. Griffin already having at least three prior DUI convictions.