A 41-year-old Stafford man was arrested for DUI after picking up children in an intoxicated state.

On July 1st at approximately 5:48 p.m. Sergeant M.E. McCann responded to the Courthouse Community Center, located at 29 Stafford Avenue, for a drunk driver complaint. It was advised a male who “smelled of alcohol” picked up two family members, who were juveniles. The caller provided a spot-on description of the suspect’s truck, making it easy for Sergeant McCann to find.

Sergeant McCann would observe the vehicle in question traveling on Courthouse Road. Before she could conduct a traffic stop, the truck driver stopped at the intersection of Wyche Road, got out of his vehicle, and began yelling at the driver behind him. Sergeant McCann would interrupt the road rage as Deputy H.R. Perkins responded to assist. The truck driver was observed walking crooked, had slurred speech, and the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath. Within the vehicle were not only the two juveniles, but multiple cans of Bud Light.

After field sobriety tests, the driver was detained. He was charged with driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content between .15 and .2 with children present, drinking while driving, and two counts of child neglect. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail on a $6,000 secured bond. The children were released to a responsible family member.

With this weekend filled with Fourth of July celebrations, we encourage all residents to drive sober.