Drunk Teen Resists Arrest After Crash on Neighbor's Lawn, Cops Say

A Sparta teenager had to be restrained by police when he was arrested for DWI after crashing his car into his neighbor's lawn Friday, according to Police Sgt. John-Paul Beebe.

Joseph A. Ayrey, 19, was charged with underage DWI, leaving the scene of an accident, resisting arrest and issued several motor vehicle summonses.

According to Beebe, police received a call at about 12:30 a.m. of a vehicle that was stuck on the front yard outside a Castlewood Trail residence.

When police arrived, they found a Chrysler stuck in the middle of the yard, but no one was near the vehicle, Beebe said. While Ptl. Jeffrey McCarrick investigated the vehicle, he was approached by Ayrey who lives on the street and told McCarrick that he had been texting while driving, lost control of his vehicle and crashed, Beebe said.

Ayrey told McCarrick he had gone home to get a shovel to try and dig the car out, Beebe said. Ayrey appeared to the officer to be under the influence of alcohol, Beebe said.

Beebe said Ayrey denied drinking and then became argumentative with the officer. He was given several field sobriety tests, which Beebe said he failed, and was placed under arrest.

But Ayrey resisted arrest and began to pull away from the officer, according to the press release. Police physically subdued Ayrey and placed him in the back of the police car, but Beebe said Ayrey began to repeatedly slam his head into the rear of the driver's side seat. Ayrey was then restrained, Beebe said.

He was transported to the police station and released later that day. His vehicle was towed. Ayrey is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 7.

For questions on this blotter, email ariana.cohn-sheehan@patch.com