A 19-year-old man is currently in Denton County Jail after allegedly driving under the influence. Although Flower Mound Police have chosen not to disclose the driver’s identity at this stage, he faces charges including a Class B Misdemeanor for DWI and a State Jail Felony for a collision involving injury.
The incident occurred at the intersection of Gerault and Flower Mound Road around 9:30 p.m. on Monday. According to Flower Mound Police, a witness reported observing a vehicle colliding head-on with another vehicle, followed by the suspect’s vehicle apparently repeatedly ramming the victim’s vehicle. The suspect then exited his vehicle, ran a short distance from the scene, and subsequently stumbled and fell in the middle of the roadway.
Andrew Shafer, a manager and server at Jake’s Restaurant, recounted how he and his colleagues pursued the suspect after witnessing the crash. Cell phone footage captured by Polina Barabash shows Shafer in a green shirt engaging in the pursuit.
“I chased him down and made sure he was detained until the police arrived,” Shafer stated. “He tried to resist and escape, but I was able to subdue him.”
Shafer, who had just finished his shift when the incident occurred, recalled the chaotic scene. “I knew it was serious because it was a head-on collision with a lot of smoke,” he said. “He had a strong smell of alcohol on his breath.”
Shafer, drawing on his experience as a former wrestler at Coppell High School, employed a wrestling move called ‘The Cradle’ to restrain the suspect effectively until police arrived. “I knew how to handle the situation and keep him under control,” Shafer explained.
When Flower Mound Police arrived minutes later, they took the suspect into custody. “I joked with him, telling him his Uber had arrived,” Shafer added, recounting the moment of apprehension.
Shafer’s actions received gratitude from the victims involved in the crash, who later called the restaurant to express their appreciation. “They called about half an hour later to let me know they were okay,” Shafer said. “They were very thankful.”
Police confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result of the collision.
