Crime & Safety
U City Driver Who Struck Police Car Was Driving Drunk, Police Say
Richard Lewis has five previous DWI convictions and was out on parole on a 2011 conviction.
A University City man struck a stopped police car while the vehicle had its emergency lights activated in the 200 block of North Hanley Road, St. Louis County Police said.
The driver, Richard Lewis, 56, had a blood-alcohol content of .343, more than four times the legal limit, police said. He was unable to stand up, according to police.
He has five previous DWI convictions and was driving with a revoked license, police said.
Find out what's happening in University Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Lewis, of the 8300 block of Braddock Drive in U City, was charged June 28 with driving while intoxicated as a chronic offender, a class B felony.
An officer said that after the accident at 10:35 p.m. April 6, he noticed a strong odor of alcohol and saw Lewis was unable to stand up to perform a sobriety test.
Find out what's happening in University Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Lewis was convicted of DWI in 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007 and 2005. He was sentenced to four years in prison in June 2011 and was out on parole.
He is being held in the Eastern Reception Diagnostic & Correctional Center in Bonne Terre.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.