By Herald Staff

JASPER — A Jasper man was arrested Sunday morning on drunk driving charges after almost hitting a city police car.

William Peraza, 32, of Jasper was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated (BAC .184), a Class C misdemeanor, as well as operating a vehicle while intoxicated over .15 and operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, both Class A misdemeanors.

Jasper Police received a call around 4:17 a.m. about a possible intoxicated driver heading north on U.S. 231 near County Road 100S. Police found the vehicle driving north in the state road’s southbound lane near HRJ Lane. The vehicle almost struck the police officer’s vehicle in the southbound lane; the police vehicle swerve off the road to avoid a collision, Jasper police reported.

The officer turned around and turned on his lights to pull the vehicle over. The vehicle continued driving north in the southbound lane before returning to the northbound lane and then pulling over on the side of the road to stop, police said.

With the help of an interpreter, the officer directed the driver, identified as Peraza, to turn off the vehicle, give the officer the keys and exit the vehicle. The officer smelled the odor of alcohol and took Peraza to the Jasper Police Department for field sobriety and chemical tests, police reported.

After he failed the tests, Peraza was arrested and taken to the Dubois County Security Center.