North Liberty Police arrest OWI suspect with dangerously high BAC

Lang
2/12/23

North Liberty Police have arrested a drunk driving suspect who they say had a dangerously high level of intoxication.

Officers noticed a 2017 Cadillac XTS squealing its tires and driving erratically as it turned from northbound Kansas Avenue to westbound Penn Street just before 4:30 Saturday afternoon. The vehicle also had an expired registration.

Police say the driver, identified as 23-year-old Riley Pirkl of Oxford, showed signs of impairment. He allegedly told investigators that he was too drunk to take field sobriety tests and just wanted to be taken to jail.

Pirkl’s breath alcohol levels were measured at .299% and .333%.

A study done by the Cleveland Clinic indicates a subject with a BAC between .3 and .4 will “likely have alcohol poisoning, a potentially life-threatening condition, and experience loss of consciousness.”

Pirkl was taken into custody and charged with Operating While Intoxicated.