SEOUL — A U.S. sailor was detained Wednesday morning near Chinhae Naval Base — accused of stealing a car, driving while intoxicated and damaging another car, according to South Korean police.
The sailor allegedly stole a van with the keys inside it from in front of a residential office building in Changwon, a city next to Chinhae, around 1 a.m., according to the police. They said he drove it until he crashed into a station wagon parked in front of a restaurant.
When police questioned him, they said, the sailor had a blood alcohol level of 0.154.
After being questioned, the sailor was turned over to U.S. military police. Police said the sailor is stationed on the visiting submarine USS Chicago, now anchored at Chinhae.
Lt. Pam Bou, spokeswoman for Commander, Naval Forces Korea, confirmed that a sailor was detained and returned to a U.S. base early Wednesday morning.
Charges had not been filed against the sailor, whose name and rank were unavailable, by Wednesday afternoon, she said.
