The Arkansas City Police Department arrested an Ark City man early Friday morning in connection with a two-car accident leading to a hospitalization, according to a news release from the ACPD.
Manual Enriques, 20, was arrested on suspicion of one misdemeanor count each of driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.
He was transported to and booked into the Cowley County Jail in Winfield on a $3,000 bond through Cowley County District Court in Ark City.
Enriques remained in custody at the time of this release Friday.
The Ark City Fire-EMS and Police departments were dispatched at 4:11 a.m. today for an injury accident in the 100 block of North Summit Street. They encountered a two-vehicle collision.
One of the drivers, a 74-year-old Ark City man, was injured.
He was transported by the Ark City Fire-EMS Department to South Central Kansas Medical Center for further treatment.
Further investigation determined the other driver, Enriques, had crossed the center line and struck the victim’s vehicle head-on. Enriques was found to be in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.
Police administered standardized field sobriety testing, which determined Enriques was suspected to be impaired, although alcohol has been ruled out as a contributing factor to the accident.
Officers later obtained a search warrant for a blood sample, which will be submitted to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for testing. Enriques was taken into custody without incident.
“This accident serves as a reminder that driving impaired — no matter if it is due to alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs or illicit substances — poses a significant danger to everyone in our community,” said Police Chief Eric Burr.
Burr said the Ark City Police Department will continue to administer the “You Drink. You Drive. You Lose.” traffic enforcement and impaired driving campaign through Labor Day on Sept. 6.
