A driver leaving The Viking Lounge early Saturday morning nearly collided with a Thurston County sheriff’s deputy before speeding away and later testing at nearly three times the legal limit, according to the sheriff’s office.
The incident began when the deputy spotted the driver almost crash into their patrol vehicle while leaving the bar.
After the close call, the vehicle came to a stop in the outside westbound lane of Martin Way and remained there, blocking traffic.
When the deputy tried to initiate a traffic stop by maneuvering around a center median, the driver reportedly drove over a curb and drove away westbound on Martin Way.
Deputies caught up to the driver and took them into custody.
According to the sheriff’s office, the driver showed clear signs of impairment.
A preliminary breath test measured the driver’s blood alcohol concentration at 0.227 — nearly three times Washington’s legal limit of 0.08.
The driver was booked into Thurston County Jail on suspicion of DUI.