Austin teen injured after collision with allegedly drunk driver

Austin Daily Herald (MN)

Aug. 3—An Austin teen sustained non-life threatening injuries after being involved in a two-vehicle crash with an allegedly drunk driver.

According to Austin Police Capt. Todd Clennon, officers were dispatched to a two-vehicle accident at about 10:05 p.m. on Monday at Hormel Century Parkway in front of the Quality Pork Processors employee gate. A 2004 Honda CRV and 2014 Chevy Silverado were located in the eastbound lane. The vehicles had to be towed due to disabling damage.

The Honda's driver, a 17-year-old , was treated on scene by Mayo Ambulance for a cut lip, sore shoulder, and sore hip.

The Chevy's driver, Marcos Rodriguez, 23, of Lansing told police that he caused the accident, saying he was going westbound on Hormel Century Parkway when he looked down at his phone. When he looked up at the road, he had drifted into the other lane and the other car was right in front of him. He hit the other car head on and his airbag went off.

Rodriguez said his right thumb hurt a little bit, but declined medical attention.

Police noticed Rodriguez showed signs of being intoxicated. Rodriguez initially denied that he had been drinking and agreed to a preliminary breath test, which showed he was over the legal limit. He later admitted that he had been drinking at a friend's house 20-30 minutes prior to the accident. Police then had Rodriguez perform three field sobriety tests, two of which he failed.

Rodriguez was arrested for criminal vehicular operation — bodily harm, driving without insurance, and operating a cell phone while driving. He was booked into the Mower County Jail and released after an officer executed a criminal vehicular operation blood draw search warrant.