MASON CITY – A drunk driver early Wednesday morning caused a ruckus in an otherwise quiet Mason City neighborhood, as he took his vehicle airborne and crashed into Elmwood Cemetery, destroying a huge bush.
According to Mason City Police Officers, the driver was traveling west on 13th Street SE at a high rate of speed when he encountered Federal Avenue, which is essentially a t-intersection and a stop sign. The driver did not stop, however, and continued across Federal Avenue and launched his car airborne over the grass embankment, landing 106 feet later on 13th Street SW. The embankment is about eight feet high. The pavement on 13th Street SW showed some damage from the car’s landing.
The driver did not stop at the landing, however. He continued up the block and crashed through a ten foot high bush at the north edge of Elwood Cemetery, destroying it. There was debris from the car strewn the length of the block. The driver finally stopped once he reached the paved roadway in the cemetery, smoke pluming from the car’s engine, and several Mason City Police vehicles immediately were at the scene. They were joined by an ambulance and fire trucks moments later.
The driver of the car, Jeremy Hildebrand, age 20 of Mason City, was not injured. Police questioned the man and apparently put him through sobriety tests. Hildebrand was then arrested for operating under the influence. A tow truck showed up later and took the damaged 1999 Acura away.
He later pled guilty to first-offense operating while intoxicated.
(2015 mug shot, connected to second drunk driving charge)
View video of the scene:
