Last week, a Summerville Police officer was on patrol when he observed a beige Chevrolet Equinox with a temporary license plate traveling northbound on Commerce Street. As the officer  monitored the vehicle’s movements, he noticed it veer across the white fog line and into a parking lot. The officer watched as the driver erratically weaved between the painted parking space lines, eventually coming to a stop in the lot of the Amaco gas station. Deciding to initiate a traffic stop, the officer approached the driver’s side of the Equinox and found a female behind the wheel, accompanied by a male passenger who was not wearing his seatbelt.

After identifying the female driver, the officer questioned the unrestrained passenger, who claimed his name was Michael Smith and refused to provide any form of identification. Detecting a strong odor of alcohol emanating from within the vehicle, the officer asked the driver about her alcohol consumption, to which she admitted to drinking earlier that evening.

While officers were performing a field sobriety test, the passenger, later identified as Thomas Blake Allred, fled on foot northbound down Favor Street. Thomas managed to evade capture, leaving behind his phone and a sweatshirt.

The driver was not charged with DUI after passing the field sobriety test.