Man passes out and crashes car after leaving Athens Waffle House

Joseph Shane Cardwell

By Joe Johnson

Joseph Cardwell, 34, of Parkview Homes was arrested Tuesday afternoon after he was found passed out at the wheel of his car where it had crashed into a curb.

It happened at about 12:10 p.m. on Oconee Street at the Athens Perimeter interchange, soon after Cardwell drove away from Waffle House.

Another motorist called 911 to report seeing the man apparently passed out, with his head against his car’s side window as the vehicle went through the intersection and struck the curb.

A police officer who woke him up reported that Cardwell was woozy and exhibited such symptoms of drug impairment as constricted pupils.

He denied having taken any medication and failed to satisfactorily perform sobriety tests.

Cardwell agreed to have blood drawn for chemical analysis, but he withdrew consent after being taken to the downtown police station.

He was then arrested for driving under the influence of drugs, failure to maintain lane of travel, and was also cited for driving on a license that was suspended three months ago for failing to meet child support obligations.