Driver caught on camera driving recklessly, crashing in Caroline motel parking lot

CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Maryland man is facing several charges, including DUI, after authorities say a citizen caught him on camera Sunday night driving erratically around a Caroline County motel's parking lot and crashing into a parked vehicle.

At about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, a citizen called 911 to report a "visibly intoxicated man" who they said was driving his pickup truck recklessly in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel in the Carmel Church area, according to the Caroline County Sheriff's Office.

Witnesses told authorities that the driver had been speeding and swerving in the lot before he crashed into the driver's side door of the parked vehicle "with such force that both vehicles were heavily damaged."

"The driver then reportedly stumbled out of the truck, leaving it jammed against the car with the door wide open, and walked away," the sheriff's office said.

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One witness took a video of the incident, which they provided to authorities.

A deputy arrived at the scene and, after confirming the "extensive" damage from the crash, started to look for the driver.

"He located the man at the far end of the motel property where, according to Deputy Stapleton, it was immediately clear that the man was intoxicated," authorities said, adding that the deputy noted the smell of alcohol and heavily slurred speech.

The driver, identified as 55-year-old Douglas Blair Dawson of Waldorf, Maryland, was taken into custody and hit with several charges. These include DUI, hit-and-run and refusal to submit to a breath test.

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Dawson is being held at the Pamunkey Regional Jail as of the time of reporting.

Caroline Sheriff Scott Moser expressed how grateful he was for the citizens involved in the response to this incident.

“This case is a perfect example of how our community and deputies work together to keep Caroline County safe," Moser said in a press release. "Thanks to one citizen’s quick thinking and the evidence provided, together we were able to stop a dangerous situation before it got worse. Impaired driving is not just illegal, it’s deadly, and the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office will continue doing our absolute best to keep our community safe."