HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The father of missing 5-year-old Summer Wells was arrested late Saturday night on a charge of driving under the influence, among other charges.
According to the arrest report from the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, at around 10:14 p.m., a deputy saw a White GMC Sonoma traveling on Van Hill Road going toward the Hawkins and Greene County line.
The GMC attempted to take a left turn but ran off the road into the grass shoulder, the release, leading to a traffic stop.
The release said the deputy identified the driver as Donald Wells, the father of missing 5-year-old Summer Wells.
While talking with Wells, the deputy noticed that his eyes were “bloodshot” and could reportedly smell alcohol, according to the release.
The report also states that the deputy could allegedly see a large bottle of alcohol sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle.
The report indicates the deputy asked Wells if he had consumed any alcohol, to which Wells responded saying that he had taken a couple of shots.
When the deputy asked Wells about the bottle of alcohol sitting in the car, Wells said that he had taken it from his wife following an argument. The bottle was about half empty, according to the report.
Wells consented to a field sobriety test during which the deputy observed that Wells had, “no resting nystagmus, equal pupil size, and equal tracking.”
During the walking portion of the field sobriety test, the deputy stated Wells missed heel-to-toe contact five times, stepped off the line multiple times, and used his arms to maintain balance, according to the report.
While performing the one-leg stand portion of the exam, the deputy says that wells put his foot down twice, swayed, and bent his knee to stay balanced.
When the deputy was reading Wells the Tennessee Implied Consent form, Wells stated that he had “probably had too much to drink.”
Wells gave consent for a blood draw; his blood alcohol level has not been made public at this time.
In addition to driving under the influence, the vehicle that Wells was driving had an expired registration, and he was unable to provide proof of financial responsibility, the release states.
Wells was taken to the Hawkins County Memorial Hospital for a blood draw and then to the Hawkins County Jail to be booked.
According to the report, Wells is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.
The report list charges against Wells as driving under the influence, expired registration, open container, violation of financial responsibility and roadways laned for traffic.
The Wells family posted a blog on their website FindSummerWells.com and a video of the statement to their YouTube channel, in which they call the decision to drive under the influence a “stupid decision.”
The Amber Alert for the missing five-year-old Summer Wells remains active, and the reward fund set up by the Church Hill Rescue Squad is just a couple thousand dollars away from reaching $60,000.
Summer Wells has been missing since June 15, 2021.
