Hunter
10/21/24
A North Liberty man has been formally charged for an incident last year when he reportedly crashed his car while inebriated with a child passenger.
A traffic stop was conducted October 2nd 2023 on 30-year-old Ryan Dotson of Savannah Drive as he was headed northbound on I380 at approximately 8:40pm. Dotson took off and allegedly eluded police at an excessive speed, driving erratically and crashing at the West Penn Street and I380 intersection.
Upon contact, he had the odor of ingested alcohol along with constricted pupils. A grinder and 2 open containers of vodka were reportedly found inside his vehicle, and Dotson allegedly admitted to drinking and smoking a blunt earlier.
The officer noted that Dotson was sweaty, anxious, and having a hard time sitting still. A juvenile was in the vehicle with Dotson during the entire incident.
In December, he pleaded guilty to speeding, failure to maintain control, failure to obey stop sign, and failure to provide financial responsibility. Dotson has now been charged with more serious infractions, including Eluding, Child Endangerment with Bodily Injury, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving while Suspended, and an Open Container violation. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to over ten years in prison.