A man is facing federal criminal charges after allegedly driving drunk and crashing down a 35-foot cliff last week in Acadia National Park.
Eric Amos Jipson III of Lincoln was arraigned Friday on one count of operating under the influence of alcohol and one count of operating under the influence of alcohol in U.S. District Court in Bangor. He was driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.178, more than twice the legal limit, according to court records.
A lifted black truck was driving more than 50 mph around 8:37 p.m. Thursday near Sand Beach when a 911 report came in that the truck crashed through cones. Park rangers responded to the area, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. Another 911 call reported the same truck went off the Park Loop Road just north of the Blackwoods Campground.
The responding rangers saw hazard lights near the water at the base of a 35-foot cliff around 8:51 p.m. When they arrived at the scene, someone yelled up that there were four people at the bottom of the cliff, two of whom were from the lifted black truck, according to the affidavit.
The two rangers hiked down the cliff and identified Jipson as the driver, the affidavit said. He said he had not been drinking but his speech was slow and slurred with “regular cursing.” He said he had no physical injuries, court records said.
Jipson told the ranger he was driving and “all of the sudden a corner came up” and he “went straight through it,” according to the affidavit. The crash was about a half-mile past a curve on Otter Creek Causeway. It was dark and raining at the time of the crash.
Jipson said he had two vodka Red Bulls before the crash, the affidavit said. Jipson told the ranger there was a pistol in the truck. The ranger found a pistol in a holster with a magazine inserted and no rounds in the chamber, according to the affidavit.
He could not keep his balance during a one-foot stand test, swaying while trying to stand and putting his foot down five times, the affidavit said. During a walk-and-turn test, Jipson could not keep his balance with his feet heel to toe, the affidavit said.
He was released on a personal recognizance bond, which allowed him to leave jail without paying. Part of his bond conditions include that he cannot use alcohol.
