Drunk driver hits deer, then drives it to hospital

Andrew Caswell may have failed his sobriety test, but let’s give him an “A” for effort. Or for at least making us laugh.

When the 29-year-old Greece, NY man was stopped by police early Monday morning, December 19, 2007, he told police he’d hit a deer and was taking it to the hospital to be treated.

It started when police responded to a call at around 2:24 a.m. Monday morning for the report of a car accident involving a deer. According to published reports, witnesses saw two men arguing on the side of the road; they say the men then left the scene of the accident with the deer in the trunk of their car.

The driver apparently told witnesses he was taking the injured deer to Unity Hospital in Rochester, NY to be treated. (This story is right in my backyard, but for those of you not familiar with Unity – it’s a hospital for people, not animals.)

Police later spotted Caswell’s car. When they stopped him, Caswell indeed told police he was on his way to the emergency room with the deer. The deer was in the trunk, dead.

Poor Bambi.

Police suspected Caswell was drunk; turns out his BAC was.16, twice the legal limit. He was charged with DWI and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident. Greece Police Chief Todd Baxter told reporters that while he sympathized Caswell’s desire to save the deer during the holidays, DWI will not be tolerated.