Alert citizens lead troopers to drunk driver

Published 11:51 am Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Washington State Patrol is extending thanks to a number of people who called to report an extremely drunk driver in the Federal Way area June 27. Troopers eventually found and arrested the man, but not before he fought with a trooper and with hospital workers.

Calls started pouring in around 2:30 p.m., all reporting a green Chevrolet pickup truck driving erratically. The truck had also struck a vehicle on Military Road near Interstate 5 in Federal Way. The truck entered southbound Interstate 5 from South 200th Street and several callers remained close to it as it exited to South 320th Street. As troopers tried to find the truck, the driver began travelling eastbound on South 320th Street to get back on northbound Interstate 5. The highly impaired driver changed his mind and began backing up the on-ramp to northbound Interstate 5. Troopers arrived and quickly took him into custody.

The driver, Juan C Lopez-Ramirez, 24 of Seattle was in possession of brass knuckles, methamphetamine, and an open container of beer. Preliminary blood tests showed him to have a BAC level of .340, more than four times the legal limit in Washington.

Lopez-Ramirez assaulted the arresting Trooper and fought with several hospital workers and security guards at St. Francis Hospital. He was booked into the King County Jail for Assault 3rd degree, DUI and several misdemeanor warrants.