Crime & Safety

Benicia Man Takes Swing at Hercules Cop, Gets Arrested on Suspicion of Driving Drunk

Incident happened after the man was allegedly involved in a hit and run accident that killed a light pole and damaged a car.

-by Bay City news

A Benicia man was arrested after attempting to hit a police officer while in custody for an alleged drunken driving hit-and-run crash in Hercules, according to police.

The crash happened at about 10:50 p.m. Sunday when a driver lost control of his car, drove onto a sidewalk and plowed into a city light pole, which fell onto a parked car, police said.

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The driver drove off afterward, and someone called police to report the incident.

Officers quickly spotted the suspect vehicle, which had two flat tires, and trailed it to a nearby library parking lot, police said.

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Police said the driver, identified as 29-year-old Travis Caruso, showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol but refused to take a sobriety test.

Caruso was arrested on suspicion of DUI and taken to the Hercules Police Department, according to police.

Police said that as Caruso was about to get a blood test, he tried to hit the officer who arrested him with his un-cuffed hand.

He was arrested on suspicion of hit-and-run, DUI and attempted battery on a peace officer.

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