Crime & Safety

Officer Has Close Call With Alleged Drunken Driver

Quick reaction prevents possible serious injuries after Highland Park man passes near squad car.

A close call on Deerfield Road has landed one Highland Park man in trouble with the law.

According to a report, two officers had pulled over April 12 to deal with a traffic stop when another car passed extremely close to where they parked.

“I observed him [the Deerfield officer] pulling the squad car door towards him and attempting to get out of the way of the vehicle by re-entering his squad [car],” the other officer said in a statement about his colleague's maneuver.

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“The vehicle passed Officer Carner, missing him by approximately 12 inches,” he added.

When police caught up with the vehicle's driver, they reported that 37-year-old James Carroll’s speech was slurred. The officers also discovered that Carroll had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol. 

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When officers asked the Highland Park resident to do a field sobriety test, they reported that Carroll responded by saying, “I’m not going to play with you, we don’t need to do this.”

Carroll was charged with a driving under the influence. His court date is May 4. 


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