CASPER — A Casper man struck a pedestrian with a sport utility vehicle while leaving a bar parking lot early Sunday and dragged the man for more than a mile, causing critical injuries, police said.
The driver had gone to the bar after posting bail Saturday evening for a driving-under-the-influence arrest, according to court records.
Douglas Downs, 39, of Casper was charged Monday with felony driving under the influence and felony aggravated assault in connection with the dragging. He also was charged with DUI for his earlier arrest.
Authorities identified the victim as Jeffrey Irene, 40, of Casper. He was listed in critical condition at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper.
Natrona County DA Mike Blonigen said Downs was arrested about midnight by the Wyoming Highway Patrol and issued a DUI citation. Downs later told Casper police investigating the dragging that he bonded out of jail after his first arrest and went to the Sandbar Lounge. Downs said one of the passengers in the GMC Yukon he was driving had yelled “You hit somebody” as he was leaving the bar. But Downs told police he thought his friend meant he had struck another car in the parking lot.
The Associated Press
