Raleigh, N.C. — A Durham man faces multiple charges in connection with a drunken-driving accident that sent a Wake County sheriff's deputy's personal vehicle off the highway into a tree.
The accident happened Thursday shortly before 7 a.m. on Interstate 40 near Aviation Parkway when a truck driven by William Woodrow Griffin hit Deputy Paul Quinn from behind and then left the scene.
"He was like a pinball in a machine," said Jerry Dockery, an off-duty truck driver from Raleigh, who said he saw Griffin's truck. "He was bouncing off trees as he was plowing down through there."
Griffin, whose blood alcohol concentration was 0.13 more than two hours after the collision, is charged with driving while impaired, hit-and-run and driving with a revoked license. He was in the Wake County Jail Thursday afternoon under a $5,000 secured bond.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said Dockery was one of two witnesses who followed Griffin and got him to pull over.
"My heart went out for the guy who was pushed off the road," Dockery said.
His intent was to get the truck's license plate number, but Dockery said Griffin pulled over when he saw him flashing his lights.
Dockery said he was very concerned that the driver made no attempt to stop until two miles after the crash.
"The driver of the pickup truck – he never even slowed down," Dockery said. "It was senseless to me, especially after hitting someone, knocking them off the road into the embankment and continuing as if it never happened."
According to arrest records, Griffin had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, red glassy eyes and slurred speech.
Court records show Griffin, 36, of 107 Muscadine Lane, has been convicted 14 times of driving with a revoked license and 17 times of failing to appear in court.
Quinn was treated for minor injuries at WakeMed Cary and released.
Authorities said both Griffin and Quinn were on their way to work at the time of the accident.
Man Charged With DWI After Hitting Wake Deputy
- Reporter: Amanda Lamb
- Photographer: Chad Flowers
- Web Editor: Kelly Gardner
RELATED TOPICS: Wake County, Durham, Cary, Raleigh
Copyright 2011 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
161 Comments
| MOST | Viewed | E-mailed | Discussed | ||
Most Viewed Stories
Most Viewed Videos
Most Viewed Slideshows
| |||||
| MOST | Viewed | E-mailed | Discussed |
Most E-mailed Stories
Most E-mailed Videos | |||
Multimedia
Key dates in the investigation of Lance Armstrong on charges he used performance-enhancing drugs.
Key events in Iran's relations with the West.
An interactive look at the controversial decision and reversal of the Susan G. Komen Foundation to stop funding breast exams at Planned Parenthood.
2012 Honda Civic Sign and Drive $199 per month.
Free Car Wash with Every Service-Fred Anderson Kia



![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/out_and_about/2012/02/04/10712136/pics_agunn53833-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717011/10717011-1328936455-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717059/10717059-1328939591-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717043/10717043-1328939633-100x75.jpg)






WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.
This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Praying for a quick recovery for the officer.
August 24, 2007 9:53 p.m.
Hope the officer is okay.
I give up trying to say anything else about the subject
August 24, 2007 11:15 a.m.
Yeah right, you think this guy has paid that much for his fines?
August 24, 2007 12:21 a.m.
August 23, 2007 10:41 p.m.
August 23, 2007 9:28 p.m.