Police: Driver in Rock Hill DUI crash had marijuana, narcotics

A York man charged with DUI after a wreck Thursday appeared to be under the influence of marijuana, Rock Hill police say, and he told officers he took two doses of Xanax while waiting to be rescued from his overturned vehicle.

The crash happened at about 9 a.m. in the 300 block of Red River Road, according to a police report. Witnesses said the black GMC Sierra appeared to be speeding before it crashed and rolled onto its passenger side about 20 feet from the road.

When officers were able to get close to the truck, they found a woman lying under a man. Both had to be extricated by the Rock Hill Fire Department.

The woman told officers she didn’t know what happened, and was taken to Piedmont Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Firefighters said they saw the driver, Joshua Lee Walden, 28, eating something and drinking a soda after being told not to drink anything, police said. Officers could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle and from Walden’s breath after he was placed in an ambulance.

Walden, who refused medical treatment, had a green film on his tongue and raised taste buds which indicated recent marijuana use, police said. He was charged with DUI, and during a search, officers found two small bags of marijuana in one of Walden’s pants pockets.

At police headquarters, Walden said he was willing to provide blood and urine samples, and that they would test positive for Xanax and cocaine, the report states. He said he took a dose of Xanax while trapped in the vehicle, then later said he took two doses.

Walden was also charged with possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, marijuana possession, driving under suspension and a seat belt violation.

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Police: Driver in Rock Hill DUI crash had marijuana, narcotics."