Incident closed part of I-15 for 90 minutes
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Troopers found a suspected impaired driver who collided with a barrier on Interstate 15 in the middle of the busy road before charging him for DUI, documents said.
Xavier Carter, 26, faces a charge for DUI second offense and for failing to maintain his lane, court records said.
Carter was driving a commercial truck carrying welding equipment when he lost control on the interstate near Flamingo Road on Jan. 27 during the evening rush hour, Nevada State Police said. The truck, which crossed three lanes of traffic before hitting the barrier, was also hauling welding tank canisters, sparking a HAZMAT response, troopers said.
Arriving officers found Carter lying in the middle of the road “for unknown reasons,” documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained Monday said.
Carter denied drinking or using drugs, police said. Because a criminal complaint had not been filed as of Monday, it was unclear what substance led prosecutors to file charges.
Traffic was closed on the southbound side of the freeway for about 90 minutes. The incident occurred just five hours before a major closure along I-15 for a construction project on Tropicana.
Carter previously pleaded guilty to a DUI charge in 2017, records showed. He was ordered to complete a drug and alcohol misuse program.
No bail was sent in Carter’s most recent case. He was released from custody and ordered to stay out of trouble.