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Drunken driver in custody after crashing car into UW building

JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo

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by Cara Harshman

Monday, April 28, 2008

A Madison man charged with his second drunken driving offense crashed his car into the University of Wisconsin Mechanical Engineering Building and then reportedly tried to steal a bike early Saturday morning.

According to a UW Police Department report, Seth Collins, 23, was arrested on six charges, including a hit-and-run accident causing property damage when UWPD officers arrived at the corner of Campus Drive and University Avenue around 3:30 a.m.

A witness said he saw an SUV traveling at a high speed eastbound on Campus Drive and later saw the GMC Denali crashed where Campus Drive and University Avenue split, near University Health Services. The witness then reported a white male fleeing the scene.

UWPD officers apprehended the suspect trying to steal a bike near the intersection of University Avenue and North Mills Street.

The suspect requested medical attention and was transported to the emergency room at the UW Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries and released, the report said.

Assistant District Attorney Mike Verveer said the driver is lucky he was not seriously injured and is not facing serious criminal penalties.

“Sounds like it could have been a whole lot worse,” Verveer said. “It’s just by sheer luck that no one was seriously injured as a result of this incident.”

Verveer said Collins is receiving misdemeanor charges from the UWPD and is “at least tentatively not facing the most serious charges.”

According to the report, the UW building and landscape suffered “moderate” damage and damage to the 2004 GMC Denali totaled $35,000.

Collins was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, reckless driving, unreasonable speed, open intoxicants in a vehicle, hit-and-run accident causing property damage and a seat belt violation, the report said.

According to Verveer, Collins will likely have a court appearance in a month.

Collins declined comment Sunday afternoon.

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Anonymous (April 28, 2008 @ 2:45am):

Repeat-offenses of drunk driving (like this one) should not be happening. This needs to stop. Wisconsin should have much stricter drunk driving laws similar to those in Europe (where it is possible to lose your driving privileges for life due to a drunk-driving offense).

Anonymous (April 28, 2008 @ 7:06am):

How can you have $35,000 in damage to a car that doesn't even have that high of a Blue Book value?

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