Drunken crash with Grand Rapids officer brings repeat offender prison

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) -- A man who hit a Grand Rapids Police Department cruiser head-on while driving with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit was sentenced Thursday to a minimum of three years in prison. Jack Allen Case, 39, apologized to the officer he injured, who attended the sentencing hearing in Kent County Circuit Court. Court docs: Man nearly 3x legal limit when cruiser hit [1]

Judge Scott A. Noto sentenced Case to between three and 7.5 years in prison. At the time of the crash, Case already had two other impaired driving convictions on his record.

The officer was off work for several weeks while he recovered from his injuries, which included a fracture to his neck. Drunken driving charges after GRPD cruiser hit head-on [2] The crash happened May 11 on Eastern Avenue SE when the vehicle Case was driving -- with lights off -- crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and struck the northbound police cruiser.

Case had a BAC of .237 on the night of the crash, according to court documents. The legal limit in Michigan is .08. According to the documents, the officer who responded to the crash said he saw two pint-sized bottles of whiskey in Case's car and could smell alcohol on Case.

A later search found two more bottles in the glove compartment, court documents show. While at the hospital, Case denied drinking, according to the documents. Case was charged with operating while intoxicated third offense and operating while intoxicated causing serious injury.

Case, who had been out on bond, was taken into custody following his sentencing and transferred to jail.

He will be turned over to the Michigan Department of Corrections.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. [3]

References

1. ^ Court docs: Man nearly 3x legal limit when cruiser hit (www.woodtv.com)
2. ^ Drunken driving charges after GRPD cruiser hit head-on (www.woodtv.com)
3. ^ For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. (www.woodtv.com)