Alleged Drunk Driver Swerves, Children in Street Bean His Car with Snowballs

At approximately 11:00pm on Friday, March 14, 2014 a Utica Police Officer reported seeing the driver of a car swerve to avoid hitting three young people walking alongside the road.

After the driver swerved the juveniles began, according to police, throwing snowballs at the car. The officer got out of his car and walked over to the juveniles when the driver stopped and drove his car into reverse at a high rate of speed swerving across the road.

The officer and juveniles had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by the car.  Another officer turned on his police lights and the driver stopped.  The driver's sobriety was questioned by police and, following an investigation, 47-year old Michael Conkling of Pinto Lane in Utica was arrested.

Conkling was charged with reckless endangerment, DWI, and drinking alcohol in a vehicle along and was issued several traffic tickets.