Rental Vehicle Crash In Maricopa County

While it is never a good idea to get behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking, it’s an even worse idea to do it while on your way to work or when driving someone else’s vehicle. An employee of the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office in Phoenix is finding this out the hard way after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI and hit-and-run when he attempted to return a damaged rental car to the rental agency.

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According to an article appearing on the AZ Central website, Jake Austin Harmon, who has been an employee of the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office for three years rented a vehicle from Chandler’s Big Two Toyota while he was having his vehicle serviced at the dealership. During his morning commute to work, Harmon crashed the rental vehicle into a median wall and A Moon Valley work truck.

Eyewitness accounts and police records indicate that Harmon appeared intoxicated and had spilled beer inside the rental vehicle. Witnesses also say that Harmon tossed beer cans out the window of the vehicle as he fled the scene. Harmon later reported to work.

An employee at the car dealership called police after Harmon attempted to return the vehicle with extensive damage to the body and deployed airbags.

Police arrived at the dealership and placed Harmon under arrest. Police issued a statement indicating that at the time of Harmon’s arrest he had a blood alcohol level of 0.192; more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Harmon was booked and then later released. He is currently facing three counts of driving under the influence and related charges and leaving the scene an accident before being released by authorities.

Court records indicate that Harmon is due to appear at a hearing later this month.

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