42-year-old Richard Bankston was caught driving under the influence near a bar on Rivergate Parkway on June 10th. When officers arrived on the scene, they made contact with Richard Bankston and Jennifer Davis, who stated they had been kicked out of the bar but should not have been. While speaking with the pair, officers noticed their slurred speech, unstable balance, and the smell of alcohol coming from their breath. Officers ran both IDs and noticed Davis had three prior DUIs. Bankston had one prior DUI and a canceled license. When speaking with officers, Davis admitted to having two drinks, and Bankston admitted that he had drunk too much to drive. Davis was also in the process of ordering an Uber and leaving, so officers stayed until the Uber came and watched them both leave.
About a half hour later, officers were patrolling the area when they noticed Bankston and Davis standing in the parking lot again. The officers then observed Bankston walk and clear out the passenger seat of a vehicle before Davis got into the passenger seat. Bankston then entered the driver’s seat and started driving before officers initiated a traffic stop. Officers then asked Bankston to walk to the back of the vehicle to perform sobriety tests, which he accepted, but officers noticed numerous indicators of impairment, and he refused to continue the rest of the test after performing poorly on the first one. Bankston also refused to give a blood sample, and he was taken into custody for driving under the influence and implied consent.