Deputy Brian Thompson said it felt a little like Hansel and Gretel on Route 63 this morning, but it wasn't bread crumbs he was following -- it was bits and pieces of a mangled car.
Orleans County Sheriff's deputies had arrested a man for allegedly driving drunk and his car was badly damaged from an apparent accident.
Thompson got the call about 8 a.m. to try to find the accident location, which authorities believed was somewhere between the Walmart in Batavia and Orleans County.
"That's a big area to search," Thompson said.
He started at the Orleans County line and headed south on Route 63.
Besides car parts, Thompson said there was a long, large gouge in the roadway from the wheel assembly of the car, which had lost a front tire and rim in the accident.
The Genesee County Sheriff's Office was first alerted to a possible intoxicated driver just before 5 a.m. when dispatchers received a report of a badly damaged red car heading north on Route 77.
The car was never located in Genesee County.
At 5:28 a.m., the Orleans County Sheriff's Office received a report of a red car heading north on Route 63 with sparks flying from under the car.
A short time later, an Orleans County deputy located a man walking in the Sanderson/Water Works area. Deputies later found the car, which was missing both front fenders, the front license plate and a tire and rim.
Thompson found the first evidence of an accident about a 10th of a mile inside Genesee County, where a car had struck a bridge, which is where the vehicle lost its right front tire.
Dispatchers then received a report from a resident on Judge Road that a mailbox had been knocked over. Thompson proceeded to that location and found more car parts, including what appears to be the missing license plate from the red 2001 Olds Alero located in Orleans County.
According to Thompson's accident report, the Alero was westbound on Judge Road and failed to keep right, crossing into and across the eastbound lane.
The Alero struck a mailbox at 1376 Judge Road.
The vehicle continued westbound, across the lawn of the residence and then struck and destroyed a concrete survey marker.
The car continued on to property at 1378 Judge Road, striking a tree stump and bush.
The driver is identified as 21-year-old Brandon M. Sponaugle, of Ridge Road, Medina.
An Orleans County dispatcher confirmed the driver of the car had been charged with DWI but had no further information available this morning.
Thompson's report indicates Sponaugle was allegedly driving on a suspended license. Additional charges are pending in Genesee County.
"I don't know how he made it as far as he did," Thompson said. "I'm glad no one was killed, that's for sure."
We have an Alero and I always
We have an Alero and I always thought it was one of g.m.' s best achievements. This guy should be put away before he kills someone