West Liberty man charged with 2nd OWI after crashing into snowbank

Hunter
01/15/21

A West Liberty man was charged with his second OWI early Friday morning after crashing his vehicle into a snowbank.

According to arrest reports, 30-year-old Carlos Chaviano Samo of Maxson Drive got a ride from his disabled vehicle on Highway 6 between Iowa City and West Liberty from a 3rd party. He was dropped off at a nearby business.

When police arrived, Chaviano Samo was passed out in the vestibule of the business, and had to be woken up. He allegedly had bloodshot watery eyes, impaired speech and balance, and smelled of ingested alcohol. He also reportedly had a bar stamp and bar wristband on.

Chaviano Samo allegedly admitted to having a couple of shots before getting behind the wheel and crashing his vehicle, adding that he probably had too much to drink.

A Datamaster test showed Chaviano Samo’s blood-alcohol content at .162. A check of his record showed a previous OWI conviction in July 2020, and his driving status was suspended for non-payment of fines.

Chaviano Samo was charged with his second offense, an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by a jail term of up to two years if convicted.