Man Drives UP Sands Parking Deck to Avoid Cops, Gets Stuck

I’ve been in a few confusing parking decks. Either the guy planning out the whole “To Exit” and “To Parking” really hates his job or he just hates you.

I always end up on the top deck somehow going the exact opposite way you’re supposed to. I know this because the parking lines are angled the wrong way, which means I have to do a K turn just to park. Then I forget which letter corresponds to my parking area and I have to just hit the lock button on my car thingy so the car beeps and I can find it.

Whatever. At least I’m not pretending the parking deck leads to freedom.

An Allentown man who was allegedly driving drunk in the Sands Casino parking garage tried to escape apprehension by driving his van up to the higher levels of the deck, leading police on a brief vehicle chase early Friday, according to court papers.

Richard Douglas Walton, 33, of 1032 Wyoming St., was initially cooperative with security personnel from the casino after an alleged hit-and-run accident in the parking garage, the arrest affidavit says.

But when Bethlehem police arrived, Walton allegedly started driving his Chevy Express van up higher into the parking deck. The incident occurred after 1 a.m.

According to court records:

• Walton ascended toward the fourth level of the parking garage with a police cruiser in pursuit, lights and sirens activated.
• Walton’s van crashed through a parking gate in the down position to get into the fourth level of the deck, ripping the arm off of its pedestal. Once on the fourth level, Walton’s van became stuck in a low overhead clearance area when it got lodged in the deck’s support structure.
• Walton exited the van and then did not comply with police commands to get on the ground. He then tensed his arms when police tried to handcuff him. Police said he smelled of alcohol, walked with an unsteady gait, had red bloodshot eyes and slurred his speech.
• Walton’s New Jersey driver’s license had been previously suspended. SOURCE: The Bethlehem Patch

At least the guy didn’t run it off the top of the parking deck like this guy did. 

I wonder how much it’s going to cost just to get his car out of the impound. Has to be like $700 right? Between the whole removing it from being stuck and then towing it and then fines or whatever.

A normal DUI can stop you from ever thinking about driving drunk again, one like this can make sure any of your close friends never let you drive again, drunk or not.

Oh, yeah, that’s not the real photo, that’s some crazy Japanese people. Oh, Tokyo.