A 54-year-old Burien man was arrested Wednesday night, May 27 following a rollover crash in Kent that police say involved intoxicated driving and multiple licensing violations.

According to the Kent Police Department, officers were dispatched at 10:48 p.m. to the 2200 block of W. Meeker Street (map below) after a 911 caller reported a rollover crash and was unsure whether anyone was inside the vehicle.

When officers arrived, they found two men inside a Toyota RAV4 that had rolled onto its driver’s side in the roadway. Police said both occupants were conscious and alert but unable to exit the vehicle on their own.

Puget Sound Fire crews responded and extricated both men from the vehicle.

According to police, the crash occurred after the driver failed to maintain his lane, veered off the roadway to the right and struck a metal pillar or structure on the southern sidewalk. The vehicle then slid onto its side and came to rest in the center lane.

Kent Police said the driver showed “multiple signs of intoxication” and admitted to drinking “buzzballs” before the crash. Officer Jang developed probable cause and arrested the driver for DUI, according to the department.

Further investigation revealed the driver had a first-degree suspended license as well as ignition interlock and financial responsibility restrictions on his driving record, police said. Officers also determined the vehicle was not equipped with a required ignition interlock device.

Police said the driver was booked on charges including DUI, reckless endangerment due to the presence of a passenger in the vehicle, driving while license suspended in the first degree and operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device.

According to the department, the driver declined to participate in a breath test. Officer Jang later obtained a judge approved warrant for a blood draw, and the suspect was transported to a local hospital for testing and medical clearance before being booked into the Kent jail.

“Despite the appearance of the vehicle, both occupants were able to walk away,” the department said in its statement. “It’s fortunate there were airbags in the car.”

Police also noted that the charges “point to a history of similar behavior” and encouraged people struggling with alcohol or substance abuse issues to seek treatment resources or crisis assistance.