Lang
11/22/20
Iowa City Police say the victim in a hit-and-run incident followed the suspect to his apartment, leading to the man’s arrest.
The accident was reported just after 5:45 Saturday night near the intersection of Highway 6 and Sycamore Street. The victim told police when the driver who hit him failed to stop, he followed the suspect to the Eden Apartments on Muscatine Avenue.
Officers arrived less than a minute after being dispatched. The suspect’s 2001 Saturn was still warm to the touch and had severe front end damage. A work ID belonging to 40-year-old Erskine Johnson was observed on the driver’s seat, and several empty “shooter” style bottles of liquor were found scattered throughout the car. The bottle caps were off and collected on the driver’s side of the car. An empty 24 ounce can of beer was on the front passenger’s side, and officers later located a marijuana roach in the ash tray.
As police were examining the vehicle, Johnson stumbled out to his car from his apartment. He denied being involved with the car, but investigators noticed he matched the photo on the work ID. Police say Johnson showed multiple signs of intoxication and failed a pair of field sobriety tests before refusing to participate in the rest.
Johnson was arrested and charged with Operating While Intoxicated. Police say after his arrest, Johnson mumbled completely incoherent statements. He agreed he would read the tickets he was issued once he was sober and able to read and understand them.