Man Charged with OWI, Tells Police 'I Don't Know How to Drive'

By Gregg Hennigan

Alex J. Martinez

Tools

By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Mar 5, 2010 at 9:58 AM CST

Story Updated: Mar 5, 2010 at 5:26 PM CST

IOWA CITY - A West Branch man who told police he doesn’t know how to drive was arrested for drunk driving Thursday after he crashed a van into the Salvation Army Community Center in Iowa City.

Alex J. Martinez, 26, backed into the Salvation Army building, 1116 Gilbert Ct., at 12:20 p.m., causing minimal damage, police said. He told police he struck the building accidentally because he did not know how to drive, according to a criminal complaint.

Martinez was the only person in the vehicle and was not injured, Sgt. Denise Brotherton said. In fact, Martinez walked away from the accident carrying an open container of beer and was found by police officers a short distance away drinking the beer, according to the complaint.

Martinez told police he got drunk because a relationship of his had ended, according to the complaint.

Chemical testing showed his blood alcohol content to be .101. The legal limit in Iowa is .08.

The Salvation Army said its services were not disrupted by the minor accident.

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