One shoe driver charged with drunken driving after pursuit

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read

Sep. 7—WILKES-BARRE — A man from New York City was arraigned Wednesday on charges of drunken driving following a pursuit.

Reyes Santos-Chigo, 50, of Brooklyn, initiated a pursuit with city police after he nearly struck a cruiser head-on on Mill Street and failing to obey a stop sign on George Avenue at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to court records.

When Santos-Chigo stopped and exited his vehicle, he was only wearing one shoe and had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, police allege.

According to the criminal complaint:

An officer patrolling in the area of Mill and Railroad streets encountered a Jeep coming at him head-on. The driver of the Jeep, identified as Santos-Chigo, swerved at the last minute avoiding a collision.

The officer followed the Jeep onto George Avenue where Santos-Chigo passed through a stop sign.

Santos-Chigo nearly struck a utility pole when he pulled over when the officer initiated a traffic stop.

Police in the complaint say Santos-Chigo fled prior to the officer approaching his vehicle.

The officer pursued Santos-Chigo onto North Washington Street where he stopped again near East Sidney Street.

Santos-Chigo ignored commands by the officer through the cruiser's PA system to turn off the Jeep and show his hands out the driver's side window. As more officers arrived, Santos-Chigo exited his Jeep wearing one shoe, the complaint says.

Police allege Santos-Chigo had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, had difficulty standing and walking and slurred his speech.

Santos-Chigo refused to submit to an alcohol test, the complaint says.

During the pursuit, police allege, Santos-Chigo nearly struck several parked vehicles and other objects.

Santos-Chigo was arraigned by District Judge Thomas Malloy in Wilkes-Barre on charges of fleeing or eluding police, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without a license and two traffic citations. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $20,000 bail.