Robbie and I were returning from the Cities on Hwy 19 about 9 pm on Saturday night and noticed that the car in front of us was swerving erratically. When it crossed the centerline by about 3 feet with oncoming cars, we decided to report it via a call to 911.
Robbie gave the dispatcher (at the Pearl St. 911 Dispatch Center in Owatonna) the license plate #, car description, and our location and description of our car. Within a few seconds, they handed us over to a dispatcher in Northfield. As we entered Northfield, the dispatcher asked us if we were willing to continuing following the car, which turned out to be convenient as it was taking the same route as we were.
A Northfield Police Department squad car spotted us just after Jefferson Parkway and Hwy 3 and shortly afterward, followed the car into a neighborhood nearby.
Was the driver intoxicated, tired, on a cell phone? No clue. But we felt good that we’d done our civic duty and were pleased with the response by the local law enforcement people on duty.
Good job, Griff!
I have called on drivers before as well. I called on a guy driving north on 35W in Burnsville, near Cty Rd 42, and within seconds I was transferred to a State Trooper dispatcher who was able to locate the car (and my car) using bridge cameras. Pretty cool.