The Ellis County Press: I-45 shut down following wreck

I-45 shut down following wreck
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Editor on 09/28/2006 00:00:00


SHERRY LONG
_The Ellis County Press_
PALMER - A South Dakota man was arrested after being in a one-vehicle wreck
Friday afternoon about 1:38 p.m. on northbound Interstate 45 at the Hampel Road
overpass.
The highway was blanketed with thousands of window decals.
Audrey Woodson Lasi-ter III was charged with driving while intoxicated and
possession of a controlled substance while being held on two $1,000 bonds at the
Wayne McCollum Detention Center.
Department of Public Safety Trooper Booker Hamilton said Lasiter was arrested
before being released from the Ennis Regional Hospital where he was treated for
minor cuts and bruises.
Palmer Sgt. John Zaidle was dispatched out to the interstate after calls came in
regarding a reckless driver heading toward Palmer on I-45.
Since Lasiter was watching the police car instead of the road, he lost control
of his 2002 Ford F-350 hitting the guardrail.
'The guardrail peeled the driver side of the car back,' Zaidle said.
Lasiter said he had not been drinking, but did admit to using illegal narcotics.
'He had been smoking crack-cocaine,' Zaidle said.
'He later told us he had been shooting heroin.'
The interstate was re-opened about an hour and a half after a street sweeper
cleaned up the decals.