Crime & Safety
Alleged Drunken Driver Nearly Sideswipes Patrol Car, Cops Say
Joseph E. Gibeau faces charges including DWI, speeding and for having an open bottle of vodka in his pickup truck, police said.
A Sparta man is facing numerous alcohol and traffic-related charges after nearly colliding with a patrol car on Woodport Road last Monday afternoon, police said.
Lt. John-Paul Beebe reported that Joseph E. Gibeau, 43, was charged with driving while intoxicated, careless driving, speeding, failure to keep right and possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
The police department statement said at about 4:15 p.m. Nov. 25, Sgt. Jeffrey Mase was driving south on Woodport Road when he saw a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck speeding in the northbound lane.
According to the report, the truck was going 57 mph in a 45 mph zone. The report added that the pickup was partially in Mase’s lane of travel—the police officer had to "take evasive action to avoid being sideswiped by the pickup."
Beebe said the officer pulled the driver over and identified him as Gibeau. The man allegedly appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, Beebe said. Gibeau failed a series of field sobriety tests and testing at police headquarters that showed a blood alcohol level three times the .08 legal limit, Beebe said.
Police retrieved a water bottle containing partially consumed vodka from a cup holder inside the pickup truck, which was impounded, Beebe said.
Gibeau was released several hours later to a sober adult, according to the statement.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
