Man Busted for Hitting Tree, Street Signs While Fleeing Cops
By Brandi Makuski
A 24-year-old man from Stevens Point faces multiple charges after police say he blew several stop signs and knocked down several street signs while driving drunk.
Timothy S. Asmus was arrested on March 19 after fleeing an officer at about 2:30 AM.
According to the criminal complaint, a Stevens Point police officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop after observing Asmus hit a curb while turning left from Clark St. to Michigan Avenue. The officer pursued Asmus, with his emergency lights flashing, as Asmus accelerated and blew through the stop sign, turning on to Sims Avenue.
After turning again on Illinois Ave., Asmus briefly left the road and drove through the front yard of a home on the 900 block, also knocking over a tree in the yard before returning to the road.
Asmus then “crossed the road and went onto the sidewalk on Jersey Street and hit a snow bank,” the complaint reads, after which Asmus continued through the Jersey St./Michigan Ave. intersection, making no attempt to stop at the stop sign there as he drove on to Michigan Avenue.
Once on Michigan, Asmus’ vehicle left the roadway again, knocking over two metal street signs and light poles, leaving the poles and exposed wires in the middle of the road. Asmus’ vehicle later came to a stop on a curb and up against a set of mailboxes.
When interviewed by police, Asmus smelled of intoxicants and his speech was slurred and thick. He registered a .19 on the breathalyzer. Police found marijuana in his jacket before placing him in the squad car.
Charges include fleeing an officer, second offense OWI, second offense of operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration and possession of THC.
Asmus is free on a $1500 cash bond and returns to court May 1.