Affidavit: Man facing charges after drinking half pint of whiskey and driving

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - The Evansville Police Department was called to Franklin Lanes for an intoxicated driver after they say a man called stating the driver almost hit children.

According to an affidavit, the caller took away the driver’s keys to stop him from driving out of the parking lot of Franklin Lanes Saturday night.

EPD officers say when they arrived, they noticed the suspect had poor balance and slurred speech.

That suspect was identified as 64-year-old Donald Vowels.

Officials say Vowels told police he had been drinking at Burdette Park before driving to the bowling alley.

According to an affidavit, Vowels drank a half pint of whiskey.

Police say they ran three tests on Vowels including a portable breath test. The results showed Vowels had a BAC level of 0.185.

An employee from Franklin Lanes told police Vowels was not served any alcohol at the bowling alley, according to police.

Officers watched camera footage from the bowling alley, and say they could see Vowels pull up and stumble through the doors. He then bowled a game and left. Vowels could be seen trying to back out of the parking lot and the witness removing his keys from the ignition.

According to an affidavit, a empty pint of whiskey was found in the saddle bag of Vowels’ motorcycle.

Vowels was arrested and booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on the following charges:

• Operating a vehicle with an Ace of .15 or more
• Motor vehicle - operating a vehicle while intoxicated - endangerment

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