A Chevrolet Camaro was borrowed. A fire hydrant was not consulted. And somewhere in Laramie County, Wyoming, a water department employee had to explain to their boss why a repair bill just hit five figures.
On February 25, Mario Jacob allegedly decided that a borrowed Camaro, a residential street, and a blood alcohol content of 0.163% were all the ingredients he needed for an impromptu drift session. Spoiler: they were not.
The Drift That Wasn’t
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Jacob was traveling approximately 50 mph in a 30 mph zone when he attempted to drift the vehicle. For the uninitiated, drifting is a legitimate motorsport skill that takes years to master, proper tires, a closed course, and crucially, sobriety. Jacob had none of these things.
The Camaro left the road, connected with a fire hydrant near Peach Street and Pine Avenue, and finally came to rest near Grape Street. The hydrant, for its part, did not survive. It was broken clean from its base, leaving the South Cheyenne Water Department staring down a repair bill estimated between $7,500 and $10,000.
A Borrowed Car, No Insurance, and a BAC Twice the Legal Limit
When deputies arrived, they reported smelling a flavored alcoholic beverage, which somehow makes the whole situation worse. Jacob allegedly had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and agreed to field sobriety tests that, by all accounts, did not go well for him. A preliminary breath test came back at 0.163%, more than double the legal limit.
The Camaro, registered to an acquaintance of Jacob’s, sustained over $1,000 in damage. Jacob was also uninsured at the time.
He now faces charges including DUI, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, speeding, and destruction of property. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Camaro community, however, has already rendered its verdict.