Louisville man charged with 3rd DUI after crashing into LMPD officer downtown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville man was charged with DUI after crashing into a Louisville Metro Police officer early Friday morning.

Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Aaron Ellis said the crash happened around 3:20 a.m. at the intersection of 2nd and West Market streets. The officer was in a marked LMPD cruiser with lights and sirens activated.

Officers responded to the crash to find the officer trapped in his cruiser and Anthony Lewis, the 32-year-old man driving the other car, bleeding from his face. According to his arrest citation, the officers could smell the alcohol coming from the car even before they were directly in front of Lewis.

Lewis told police he had three cocktails and a shot at a bar in southern Indiana, but police said they found an empty fifth of Kentucky Premium Whiskey and a partially filled bottle of Evan Williams in the car. He was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle.

Ellis said both vehicles were damaged, along with a utility pole. EMS tended to both victims, and they were taken to UofL Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Both were alert and conscious.

Lewis has two previous DUI charges: one in 2015, for which he served 30 days in jail, and another in 2017, for which he served 180 days in jail.

He's scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Saturday.

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