A close call

Kensington officer stops rolling vehicle after man passes out behind the wheel

A Kensington police officer was forced to jump into and stop a rolling car after its driver, allegedly drunk, fell asleep behind the wheel.

Police received reports April 13 at 2:35 p.m. about a vehicle parked in front of the Scotiabank on Kensington’s Broadway Street.

When officers arrived, they found the driver was slumped over the wheel with the vehicle’s engine running and not in “park.”

The driver had his foot on the brake.

The first officer on the scene noted a heavy smell of alcohol coming from the driver and attempted to rouse the man. The officer had to open the vehicle’s door and raise his voice to try to wake the driver.

When the driver started to wake, his foot came off of the brake, causing the vehicle to start moving forward.

Despite the officer’s attempts to get the driver to step on the brake, the vehicle drove nearly five feet before the officer had to reach his own body inside the vehicle and put his own foot on the brake to stop the rolling vehicle.

The driver, a 51-year-old Kensington-area man, was arrested and charged for refusing the breathalyzer.

He was taken to Prince County Jail and lodged for the night.

He will appear in court at a later date.

Kensington Police Chief Lewie Sutherland said this was a serious situation given the time of day, when the town’s schools are being dismissed, buses are operating and pedestrians are everywhere.

“We were very fortunate that something more serious did not happen,” said Sutherland, who also thanked the person who reported the driver to police.