Police: Suspected DUI Driver Steers into Crash Scene

A Cartersville man early Sunday morning allegedly drove into the scene of an accident where injured motorists were being treated in the roadway by emergency medical crews.

Michael David Ledbetter, 28, of Brent Circle, was arrested and charged with DUI and driving on a closed roadway. He allegedly drove into the area blocked off by a fire truck and traffic cones, trapping a cone under his red 1996 Chevy Camero. Several patients were lying in the roadway following a three-vehicle traffic crash on Highway 41 at Cassville Road in Cartersville, according to the incident report.

spokesman Gordy Wright said seven people were injured in the crash about 11:15 p.m. Saturday. While he had no details on the accident, Wright said neither an air ambulance nor accident reconstruction team was deployed.

A sheriff's deputy assisting troopers, firefighters and EMS saw Ledbetter enter the blocked area about 12:30 a.m. and reported he smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech.

"I asked Michael to exit his vehicle," the deputy reported. "He opened the door and fell out of the car."

Ledbetter, who said he had three beers an hour earlier, was unable to perform field sobriety tests, according to the report. He was transported to jail and his car towed.

Don’t miss any of the local news you care about. Subscribe to Cartersville Patch's newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.