MASON CITY – A Mason City man arrested on a charge of drunk driving after he smashed a man’s prized pickup truck on a residential street last February has pleaded guilty and is now behind bars.
Police were called to the intersection of 15th Street SE and Virginia Avenue around 9 PM February 20, 2015 after a two-car collision caused by a drunk driver.
Thomas Eugene Ethington, age 63, was driving in the 700 block of 15th Street SE when he struck a Dodge Ram pickup truck owned by Brent Hanson of Mason City. Ethington’s car sustained major damage while Hanson’s pickup – which he had recently purchased – suffered severe damage.
“The box is damage(d) and he broke the rear end. Roughly $8,000 (in damages) if not more,” Hanson told NIT after the accident.
Ethington was apparently not injured in the collision, but was later arrested on a charge of first offense operating while intoxicated and taken to the county jail.
In April, Ethington pleaded guilty to first offense operating while intoxicated. He was given a 180 day jail sentence with all but 4 days suspended. He was also placed on probation for a year and ordered to pay $1,797.50 in fines and court fees.
Almost one of the 10,000 killed every year while DUI. At 63 you would have thought that he knew better. Alcohol is a powerful drug…