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Stafford resident Craig Hayes, 55, was forthcoming after admitting to "drinking a lot," crashing, then going for a little walk before being apprehended by responding deputies.
Members of the Stafford County Sheriff's Office responded to a stretch of Leeland Road on Friday, Dec. 8, around 8:15 p.m., after a caller reported a car had crashed into the woods near her home—and the driver was missing, according to investigators.
When deputies arrived, they found the crashed Honda off the roadway.
The driver was gone, but a strong smell of alcohol lingered inside the car, they said. Deputies quickly discovered an open container in the vehicle, reinforcing their suspicions of DUI.
While searching the area, a sergeant located the car’s registered owner, later identified as Hayes.
During their conversation, officials say that Hayes admitted to being the driver, causing the crash, and leaving the scene to take a walk.
He also confessed to drinking so much that he blacked out while behind the wheel, deputies said.
The 55-year-old man was charged with driving under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration above .20 percent and drinking while driving.
He was booked into Rappahannock Regional Jail and held on a $2,000 secured bond.
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