CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A 21-year-old man was arrested Halloween night after he drove a vehicle into Colonial Lake in downtown Charleston.
Officers with the Charleston Police Department arrived at the intersection of Queen Street and Rutledge Avenue at 11:30 p.m. to find a vehicle partially submerged about 20 feet from the banks of Colonial Street.
Cristian Abreu-Hidalgo told officers he was coming from The Alley and was on his way home when the car made its way into the lake, according to an incident report.
When asked if he has been drinking, the report states Abreu-Hidalgo told officers that he had not consumed any alcoholic beverage during the evening and said he was not driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
A witness told police she saw the man exit the driver side of the vehicle, then proceed to climb on top of the vehicle, down to the trunk and swim to the steps and up the sidewalk where he was found by responding officers.
The report states officers – again – asked Abreu-Hidalgo about the events that led up to the crash when he admitted that he had been drinking and was too drunk to drive home, but said he asked a friend to drive him home. Despite giving them a name and description of a 6’1 white male, he could not provide any other details about the possible driver.
A dive team checked the vehicle to ensure there were no other occupants.
Following a field sobriety test, it was determined Abreu-Hidalgo was under the influence to the point of impairment and he was placed under arrest for first-offense DUI.
Abreu-Hidalgo was transported to the Al Cannon Detention Center where he requested to go to the hospital to be checked out – he was transported to Roper Downtown where he was checked and cleared, the report stated.
He was booked back into the jail and given a $992.00 bond.