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.
1 thought on “Drunk driver sent to jail after smashing into pickup truck”
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…