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Man accused of driving drunk through crime scene

Posted at 2:32 PM, Apr 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-28 17:32:10-04

A 23-year-old man is facing felony charges after he allegedly drove drunk through a Phoenix police crime scene almost hitting officers.

Jonathan Kevin Rivera was formally charged on April 26 with one felony count of aggravated driving while under the influence and three felony counts of endangerment.

According to the complaint, Phoenix police were investigating a deadly crash on Sunday, April 24 near 35th Avenue and Indian school Road.  The roadway was closed and blocked with flares, cones and crime scene tape.

Police said a black Honda Civic was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed and the driver attempted to stop, squealed the car's tires, but could not stop and ended up driving through the roadway and crime scene.

"Three officers had to jump out of the way of the vehicle to avoid being struck," said the police report.

The vehicle was stopped at 35th Avenue and Camelback Road and the driver, identified as Rivera, was arrested. Police said Rivera had blood-shot watery eyes, smelled of alcohol, was not cooperative with authorities and would not submit to a field sobriety test.

Police found an open beer bottle on the front passenger seat.

According to the report, Rivera told detectives that he "did not intentionally drive and almost hit officers" and "was not paying attention and may have been affected by the beer."