Hunter
02/13/23
An Illinois man who reportedly took the keys to an acquaintance’s vehicle crashed it into a curb and onto the sidewalk by Catlett Hall Sunday morning.
25-year-old Demonte Jones of Rock Island was called in by a passerby after reportedly seeing him crash a 2020 Nissan at approximately 8:40 am. Upon contact, he allegedly had bloodshot watery eyes, slurred speech, smelled of ingested alcohol, and reportedly admitted to drinking the previous night.
A witness said they saw Jones discard a plastic bag that contained empty beer and vodka bottles near his car. A PBT showed his blood-alcohol level well over the legal limit, at .217 percent. Jones refused Datamaster testing.
The vehicle was registered to another man who was staying at a downtown hotel. He was asleep when officers contacted him, and said he was unaware his car was gone. The victim said that he and Jones were part of a group of people split between two hotel rooms, and he had not given Jones permission to drive his car. He also claimed that he fell asleep in his jeans, and the car keys were in his pocket.