Hunter
07/04/20
An Iowa City man who claimed the vehicle he was driving had a flat tire “for weeks” was arrested for OWI Thursday night.
According to police reports, 20-year-old Tate Petty of the 600 block of East Burlington Street was traveling westbound on Burlington around 10pm. The vehicle’s right front tire was flat, and Petty was reportedly observed striking a curb.
He then was observed turning north on South Johnson Street and striking a parked vehicle as he turned eastbound into an alley. An officer stopped Petty and reported that there was a smell of fresh marijuana. He had slurred speech, droopy eyelids, and swayed while balancing.
Petty allegedly told the officer that he had just come from a wedding, didn’t know if he struck a parked car or a curb, and had been driving on the flat tire for weeks.
Petty submitted to SFSTs and measurable impairment was observed. He admitted to smoking marijuana, and a PBT showed a zero blood-alcohol level. A preliminary test of his urine tested positive for THC and a CNS Depressant.
Petty’s been charged with his first OWI, a serious misdemeanor punishable by a jail sentence of up to one year if convicted.