Lawrence Maderak, Chicago drunk driver, crashes into roadside safety checkpoint, report says
(CBS) Chicago Ridge, Ill. - A roadside safety checkpoint set up by Chicago Ridge police turned out to be anything but safe after a drunk driver crashed into a flashing warning sign, according to CBS Chicago.
The checkpoint was reportedly scheduled for two hours on Saturday night, but after only 30 minutes an intoxicated driver slammed his vehicle into the flashing warning sign - sending officers scrambling for safety.
Police reportedly said Lawrence Maderak, 67, was charged with drunken driving, failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident, disobeying a traffic signal and not having insurance.
Maderak was driving his Dodge Ram truck when he ran into a flashing arrow sign that directed drivers to the checkpoint area. The driver kept going at a slower speed towards officers, ignoring their orders to stop, police reportedly said.
An officer was able to stop the truck by opening a door and putting the gearshift into park, according to the station.
After they were able to stop Maderak, Police reportedly said the drunken man asked them "what is going on? then refused a blood-alcohol test.
The damage on the sign Maderak ran into, valued at $8,000, was so severe that officers had to call off the safety check, according to the CBS Chicago.
