Columbia police make six DWI arrests in two days

COLUMBIA — Drunken driving arrests kept the Columbia Police Department busy midweek. By Thursday morning, they had made six DWI arrests in 48 hours, two of which occurred after traffic crashes.

The arrests were:

• Megan Darter, 20, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated early Wednesday morning at Stadium Boulevard and Rollins Road.

• Steven Maness, 52, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Business Loop 70 on Wednesday evening after bumping into another vehicle.
• Benjamin Fichman, 22, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated around 8 p.m. Wednesday in the 2500 block of Providence Road. Police responded to a report of a rollover accident and found a 1997 Jeep Cherokee on its side when they arrived. Fichman was at the scene when police arrived and was arrested when officers smelled alcohol on his breath, Detective Jeff Westbrook said.
• Andrew Newton, 28, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Wednesday at Park De Ville Place and Worley Avenue. He was also arrested on suspicion of driving without insurance, running a stoplight and for warrants for operating an unlicensed motor vehicle and a traffic charge.
• James Threet, 25, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Thursday morning. He was also arrested on suspicion of driving with expired license plates, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving with a revoked license and driving without insurance, Westbrook said.

• Jesse Vail, 28, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest and an outstanding felony warrant early Wednesday morning.

  Westbrook said the arresting officer smelled marijuana during a traffic stop at Lakeview Avenue and Fir Place. Westbrook said Vail wouldn't get out of the vehicle he was driving, failed a field sobriety test and ran from the officer. The officer eventually restrained and handcuffed Vail.

  Police said Vail had failed to report for incarceration on a previous burglary charge in Cedar County, resulting in the outstanding warrant.