Rock Hill man charged with DUI hit-and-run told police he drank vodka, Kool-Aid

A 61-year-old Rock Hill man, who police accuse of drinking and driving and being involved in a hit and run over the weekend, was arrested at home on Saturday morning where he told officers he’d been drinking vodka and Kool-Aid and claimed his car had been stolen.

Ronnie Eugene Stroud failed field sobriety tests and refused to give a breath sample on a breathalyzer on Saturday, according to Rock Hill Police records. He was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident, driving under the influence, and driving with a suspended license, records show.

Authorities say the charges stem from a Saturday morning wreck on Ebenezer Road, where Stroud’s accused of hitting another car and then fleeing the scene. The driver followed Stroud and called 911, according to the incident report.

At one point, Stroud was speeding at nearly 85 miles per hour and “almost lost control,” the report states.

The other driver later lost sight of Stroud’s car, police say, but officers found his address based on the car’s registration information. At his home, officers say they could see a car in the backyard matching the description of the one involved in the wreck.

But, when Stroud opened the door for the officers, he immediately said he needed to report his car stolen, police say.

Later, when confronted, Stroud admitted he’d been driving the car and that he was involved in the wreck but claimed he only started drinking after the incident, at his house, the report states. He told officers he’d only had a few sips of vodka and Kool-Aid, according to police.

Officers ran several field sobriety tests on Stroud and then arrested him. At the jail, police say he refused to give a breath sample and he also refused to sign DUI test results.

Stroud’s driver’s license was suspended but police records show he was already driving under suspension due to a previous conviction for “driving with an unlawful concentration” in 2013.

This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Rock Hill man charged with DUI hit-and-run told police he drank vodka, Kool-Aid."