Late Wednesday night on Interstate 5 near Tacoma, an off-duty Tacoma police officer spotted a car barreling along the freeway shoulder like it was just another lane. The officer pulled the vehicle over and, on walking up to the driver's side, found the driver completely naked and showing clear signs of intoxication, according to authorities. Thurston County deputies later took control of the stop, arrested the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence after a preliminary breath test showed a 0.21 reading, and briefly slowed traffic on I-5 while they wrapped up the investigation.
Officer's stop and investigation
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said the initial stop was handled by the off-duty Tacoma officer, and that the Washington State Patrol was not available to respond, so deputies stepped in to conduct the DUI investigation, as reported by KOMO News. Sheriff Derek Sanders told KOMO that the driver "appeared quite intoxicated and entirely naked." Deputies arrested the driver after the preliminary breath test result, KOMO reported.
High blood-alcohol reading
The 0.21 preliminary breath test result is roughly 2.6 times Washington’s per-se legal limit of 0.08, a level that, if confirmed by an official chemical test, meets the statutory threshold for driving under the influence. Under RCW 46.61.502, operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration at or above 0.08 within two hours of driving is unlawful and can lead to criminal charges as well as administrative license actions.
Not unheard of on I-5
As bizarre as a naked DUI on the interstate sounds, it is not entirely unheard of on I-5. In March, KIRO 7 reported that a man with a history of indecent-exposure arrests was taken into custody after allegedly exposing himself while driving on I-5 near the Oregon border. Local troopers and deputies say they regularly encounter impaired or indecent behavior along busy interstate corridors, creating extra hazards for everyday commuters.
Police message
The sheriff’s office used the incident as a reminder that drivers should stay both sober and clothed when they get behind the wheel, KOMO reported. Authorities did not immediately release the driver’s name or booking details, and the investigation remained active Thursday.
