Drunk Driver With Triple the Legal BAC Crashes Head-On Into MCSO Patrol Vehicle, Causing Rollover

Just before midnight on April 20th, an MCSO deputy learned firsthand the dangers of driving under the influence when a drunk driver crashed head-on into his patrol vehicle.

At approximately 11:45 p.m., the deputy was on routine patrol driving southbound on 301 Blvd. W., when he entered the designated left-turn lane to access the MCSO Operations Center parking lot. Just before making the turn, he observed a pickup truck that was driving north suddenly veer into the southbound lanes and collide head-on with his marked patrol unit, causing his patrol car to roll over.
Nearby deputies quickly responded and assisted the deputy, who was conscious but later treated for minor abrasions at a local hospital. While addressing the driver of the other vehicle, identified as 47-year-old William Thomas, deputies noticed that he was non-compliant with their commands and displayed signs of impairment, including a strong odor of alcohol. He was also taken to the hospital.

After being medically cleared, Thomas was brought to the Manatee County Jail, where he consented to a breath test. The test results revealed blood alcohol concentrations of 0.279 and 0.268 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. He was charged with F.S.S. 316.193(3)(c)1: Driving Under the Influence Causing Damage to Property or Injury to Another Person.

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