DAVIS COUNTY, Utah — A high school referee faces charges after he was allegedly caught driving under the influence while traveling to work a basketball game in Salt Lake City.
Christian Kay Morrill, 37, was arrested Monday and faces charges of driving under the influence (2nd offense in 10 years), reckless driving, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, and tail light violation.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers were dispatched after a white Dodge pickup had been seen operating in three lanes while driving on Interstate 15 in Davis County. Witnesses told troopers that the truck almost hit barriers as it approached Layton Parkway.
A trooper who located the truck on I-15 also stated that he witnessed the vehicle on the left shoulder while almost hitting a barrier. Once the trooper activated his emergency lights, the truck continued to drive south before pulling into a rest area.
The trooper explained how he approached the truck and saw Morrill and a passenger being slow to react and appearing lethargic. At one point, the trooper said Morrill waved at him through the window before rolling it down.
When asked why he was dressed in a jacket and referee shirt, Morrill said he was traveling from Logan to Salt Lake City to referee a high school basketball game.
Morrill allegedly claimed his erratic driving was due to the vehicle belonging to the passenger and had been experiencing mechanical issues.
Although preliminary field sobriety tests produced negative results for alcohol, the trooper noted that Morrill struggled to follow instructions. He was also wearing a hospital band on his wrist and said he had been released from the hospital the day before. Morrill said he had been prescribed multiple depressants at the hospital, which he claimed not to have taken.
"Throughout our interaction the subject appeared to experience a rollercoaster of emotions from happy to crying," the trooper wrote in the arrest report.
During a search of the truck, troopers found multiple pieces of folded aluminum foil, lighters, and burnt straws, in addition to several depressant category medications.
The truck was found to have a broken left taillight and what appeared to be fresh metal scrapes down the driver's side of the vehicle.
