Donny H. Weston Arrested Taking Service Van On Alleged Drunken Joyride

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Anchorage police say a city van used to pick up drunken people was taken on a joyride by a man suspected of drunken driving.

The Anchorage Daily News reports that 35-year-old Donny H. Weston was arrested late Thursday after police say he got into a Community Service Patrol van parked with the keys in the engine. Police say social workers were attending inebriated people when Weston got into the van.

Police say Weston drove the van for significant distance, including driving against traffic, and he eventually crashed the van into a bus and ditched it.

The van is part of a city program that picks up inebriated people and shuttles them to sleeping center.

Police say the inebriated men in the back of the van didn't notice the joyride.

Comments

[jpalaska]

02:37 PM on 07/10/2011

How about lightening up on the hate-Alaska comments?
Alaska is hardly the only state with dysfunctional people and politicians.
But even if you truly live in one of those shangri-la states, why don't you just enjoy your bliss, instead of feeling compelled to dump on other states you consider so inferior to yours?

[ohiomark]

01:57 PM on 07/10/2011

Leaving the keys in the ignition with a bunch of drunks hanging around?

That sounds like a city union employee.

By the way, in most cities they already have a "drunk van" that is NOT paid for by taxpayers. They are called taxi cabs.

[sirconnery]

01:57 PM on 07/10/2011

This sounds like a plot from Always Sunny.

[Just Another Name]

02:34 PM on 07/10/2011

The spin off- Never Sunny In Anchorage....

[cbk780]

01:20 PM on 07/10/2011

I didn't realize that Anchorage had a service like that.

I think it is good for everyone that they keep these people off the street and allow them to sleep off their overdose of booze.

While getting blind drunk is not good for anyone, this is an example of a program that improves public safety.

Unless, of course, they leave the keys in the ignition.

Charlie

[sadwitness]

04:25 PM on 07/10/2011

I thought that too until I remembered that they charged rape victims for their physical/rape kit. I'd prefer they lock up drunks and help victims

[Bill928]

12:59 PM on 07/10/2011

The keys were left in the ignition? Sloppy.

[tttony]

01:25 PM on 07/10/2011

No they were left in the engine. Weren't you paying attention? Sloppy.

[humansareinsane]

12:17 PM on 07/10/2011

This is a metaphor for the GOP.

[Aries Warrior]

01:40 PM on 07/10/2011

GWB....drunken Frat boy drives economy into ditch...

[garystartswithg]

01:50 PM on 07/10/2011

nah, it had a relatively happy ending, nobody got hurt.

[flamflurm]

12:01 PM on 07/10/2011

Seems perfectly reasonable.

[chasealvins]

11:48 AM on 07/10/2011

This is news.

[kathismom]

11:33 AM on 07/10/2011

and this is why marijuana is so much worse than alcohol....right..

[sadwitness]

04:26 PM on 07/10/2011

lmao...yeah

[AGooglyMinotaur]

10:36 AM on 07/10/2011

Alaska is lame.

[laaambchop]

01:38 PM on 07/10/2011

More like wicked buzzed

[DrJay1966]

10:14 AM on 07/10/2011

Was the author of this piece drunk, too?

[tagtron]

10:04 AM on 07/10/2011

Gee, i wonder who he voted for as Governor in 2006

[greora2]

09:29 AM on 07/10/2011

Alaska has a huge problem with Alcoholism as do many scandanavian countries due to the type of climatic conditions they live in that produces depression etc.

I guess if obama wants to win Alaska in 2012 he needs to entitle everyone to 1x/month..3 bottles of liquor/week and a free drive drunk pass

[Just Another Name]

09:04 AM on 07/10/2011

Very poorly written article. And what the hell is going on in Alaska? Do they have drunken zombies meandering around?

[garystartswithg]

01:54 PM on 07/10/2011

Alaska is a little liquored up, among other things.

[Just Another Name]

02:35 PM on 07/10/2011

I understand I grew up in the snow belt of NY and everyone is liquored up too.

[filo]

08:58 AM on 07/10/2011

The guy in the back said : Heck I drive the same way.