A 47-year-old man in Tacoma, Washington mistakenly pocket-dialed 911 twice while driving drunk in what authorities suspected to be a stolen car. Police have not released his name and will not do so until he is charged, but say he is homeless.
The first 911 call came at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Police said their dispatcher heard a screaming woman in the background and a man telling her to stop. According to authorities, the call was traced to a street where officers saw a car run a red light.
Police tried to pull the car over. The driver did stop momentarily, and the woman passenger got out of the car and ran. The man then drove away, with police in pursuit. Police say the suspect eventually stopped the car and ran on foot. A police dog on the scene was unsuccessful in finding the man.
The second 911 phone call came from the same cellphone number the next day at 7:00 a.m.. When they arrived at the location where the 911 phone call came from, authorities say they found an intoxicated couple sitting inside a different vehicle than the one that ran the red light the night before. The man was arrested on suspicion of DUI and violating a no-contact order, but only booked for the no-contact order, which had been issued after a complaint by the woman with whom he had been riding. She was arrested as well on outstanding warrants.
Police said the man did not realize that his phone had dialed 911 on either occasion. The cellphone contract was not active and the phone could only dial emergency numbers.