A Nevada driver accused of leaving the scene of a two-vehicle crash still had someone keeping track of where he was going. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office says a reporting party followed the vehicle and provided deputies with directional updates until they could locate the driver.
Deputies were responding to the crash on East Golden Valley Road, just past Opal Station Drive, when dispatch received an update about one of the people involved. According to the sheriff’s office, one of the drivers had left the scene before deputies arrived.
Rather than simply watching the vehicle disappear, the reporting party began following it. The person continued providing directional updates to dispatch as deputies responded.
Those updates helped deputies quickly locate the driver, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies identified him as 64-year-old Philip Wedin.
Reporting Party Helps Deputies Find Driver
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The sheriff’s office did not identify the person who followed Wedin or specify how far the vehicle traveled after leaving the crash scene. Its announcement also does not provide additional details about where deputies ultimately located him.
After locating Wedin, deputies investigated the crash and the circumstances surrounding his departure. The sheriff’s office subsequently arrested him.
In the video, you can hear the approaching officer ask Wedin, “What are we doing?” To which Wedin replies with, “Drinking too much.”
Wedin was booked into the Washoe County Detention Facility on two charges. Deputies listed those as driving under the influence (first offense) and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.
Sheriff Continues DUI Enforcement Efforts
The department’s announcement does not state whether anyone involved in the two-vehicle crash was injured. It also does not provide information about the amount of damage to either vehicle or describe what led deputies to accuse Wedin of driving under the influence.
No bond amount or additional booking information was included in the sheriff’s office’s post. The department identified the DUI accusation specifically as a first offense.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said it will continue its DUI enforcement efforts to prevent impaired driving and reduce serious crashes. In this case, deputies credited the reporting party’s decision to follow the vehicle and provide updates with helping them quickly locate Wedin.