Advertisement

Alleged impaired driver switches seats with drunk passenger in attempt to avoid arrest

Tyler Henderson was charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle.

By Evan Bleier
A police car with its lights on (Scott Davidson)
A police car with its lights on (Scott Davidson)

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter

WELLAND, Ontario, July 17 (UPI) -- A drunken driving suspect who attempted to pull the old switcheroo ended up being charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle after forgetting that his passenger was in the bag as well.

Police pulled over a Mazda that was driving erratically and reportedly saw the male driver and female passenger switching seats. Officers were quickly able to determine that both parties were intoxicated.

Advertisement

The original driver, Tyler Henderson, was charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and assault with intent to resist arrest after he allegedly almost tore the vest off of one of the responding officers.

According to police, the 29-year-old's tactics aren't anything new.

"We've experienced that a lot," Constable Derek Watson told Niagara This Week. "They see the police, and they try to do a switcheroo."

The passenger, 30-year-old Jennifer Mercredi, was charged with care and control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated and other offenses because she was inebriated and in the driver's seat while the car was on.

"She certainly could have and she had the intention of driving away," Watson said.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines