OKINAWA CITY — A U.S. servicemember was in Okinawa police custody Sunday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and being involved in a hit-and-run accident.
An Okinawa City prefectural police spokesman said that the servicemember, whose rank and service branch were not officially released, struck a motorcycle from behind about 3:25 a.m. Sunday while changing lanes on Highway 58 in the Kitamae district of Chatan.
The officer said the vehicle drove away from the area, allegedly leaving a 17-year-old Okinawan high school student who fell after losing control of his motorcycle from the collision. He sustained a fractured left ankle, according to the police report.
A 17-year-old high school student on another motorcycle reported the incident to police via cellphone while chasing after the vehicle. At about 4 a.m. the car was spotted by police officers in the Mihama district of Chatan and the driver was taken into custody.
The police spokesman said police at the scene smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath, but the driver refused to take a Breathalyzer test and denied striking the motorcycle.
