Columbus police say the recent string of DUI arrests at local restaurant drive-thrus is unusual but “just a coincidence.”
Over the past two weeks, four people have been arrested on charges of driving under the influence at local fast food drive-thrus, including White Castle, McDonald’s and Taco Bell.
“To be honest, I think it’s just a coincidence more than anything,” said Columbus Police Department spokesman Lt. Matt Harris.
However, “it’s not common to see that many in a short period of time,” he said.
On Feb. 21, Columbus police officers arrested two DUI suspects within 45 minutes of each other after they were observed sleeping behind the wheel of their vehicles at two fast food restaurant drive-thrus.
At approximately 3:30 a.m., CPD officers responded to White Castle, 1686 N. National Road, in regards to a possible intoxicated driver who pulled into the drive-thru and was later found asleep in his vehicle.
A witness reported seeing the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Paris Prophete, 29, of 3810 Williamsburg Way, driving recklessly and crashing into snowbanks on the side of the road prior to pulling into the drive-thru.
About 45 minutes later, CPD officers were dispatched to McDonald’s, 1880 N. National Road, after a driver, later identified as Jared B. Schoen, 23, of 5480 Cattle Drive, was found unconscious in the drive-thru with his foot on the brake and the vehicle still in gear.
A little over a week later, Columbus police officers arrested a local man, later identified as Keith B. Yeager, 52, of 1312 Sycamore St., for operating a vehicle while intoxicated after he was observed sleeping in the driver’s seat of his truck in the Taco Bell drive through at 3520 W. Jonathan Moore Pike after the restaurant was closed.
On Sunday, Columbus police were dispatched to the McDonald’s location on National Road again after Ramon Hernandez Cruz, 30, of 122 Brooks St., reportedly crashed into another vehicle in the drive-thru. Police found several empty beer cans inside the suspect’s vehicle.
Harris said Columbus police have investigated suspected DUIs at restaurant drive-thrus before, as they are typically open late at night and in the early morning.
Last year, Robert A. Wiseley, 38, of 10 S. Gladstone Ave., was arrested for allegedly operating a vehicle while intoxicated after being accused of crashing his Chevrolet SUV into the drive-through speaker box at Rally’s, 2080 N. National Road.
However, the number of arrests over the past two weeks have been unusual.
“It’s nice to see that people are still willing to get involved by calling when they see something that’s suspicious, and that’s where some of these calls originated,” Harris said.
