Shocking Pictures of Arlington Police Wreck a Sobering Reminder of Drunk Driving Dangers

ARLINGTON, VA — Ugly scenes from a crash on Interstate 395 involving a drunk driver and a police car are a sobering reminder of just what kind of tragedy can be caused by drinking before getting behind the wheel, police say.

Police arrested a Maryland man on drunk driving charges early Saturday morning after he crashed into an unoccupied police car that was involved in a traffic stop on the interstate, according to a report from the Arlington County Police Department. Two officers nearby were injured by debris from the crash, and Arlington County medics had to extricate the man from the vehicle, who had injuries that were not life-threatening. The officers were not seriously injured, although they also went to the hospital.

Images posted to the Arlington County Police Department's Twitter account show the real-world consequences of crashes that can happen due to drunk driving, as police allege in this case. The police car's rear end is heavily damaged, and the suspect's front end is completely caved in.

The crash happened in the northbound lanes of I-395 just before the exit for the Pentagon. Police charged 27-year-old Julio Cesar Marcia Castro of Fort Washington, Md. with driving under the influence (3+ offense or 2+ felony offense), driving with a suspended license and driving with DUI suspended license (3+ offense in 10 years).

In another local reminder that no one is immune to the danger from drunk driving, the chief of the Fairfax County Police Department, Ed Roessler, was struck from behind by an alleged drunk driver on Monday night, sending him to the hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the car that struck him was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, police said.

Every day in the United States, 27 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fortunately, rates of drunk driving deaths have been steadily falling since 1980, and are at half the rate today than they were back then, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Images via Arlington County Police Department