A Blountstown man was arrested Friday after an alleged hit and run collision at a local bank.
James Boswell Wise, 42, has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and reckless driving.
According to the Blountstown Police Department, Ofc. Nick Keller responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle at Cadence Bank on Central Avenue West just after 4:30 a.m. The vehicle was described by a witness as a dark blue Jeep Cherokee. No vehicle was found at the scene, but equipment on the drive-thru lanes of the bank had been struck, knocking it to the ground.
Cpl. Patrick Crawford responded and collected DNA samples from blood spatter at the scene. Lt. Timothy Partridge viewed the bank’s surveillance video and spotted a vehicle with a single occupant enter the drive-thru traveling in the wrong direction and run into the deposit teller equipment. The driver, wearing a blue shirt, was seen on the video exiting the vehicle, viewing the damage, then driving westbound toward Warren Street.
A vehicle matching the description of the one on the video was found at a home on Mimosa Street. James B. Wise came to the door wearing a blue shirt with dried blood stains all over it. Wise admitted to Cpl. Crawford he had been in an accident at Cadence Bank and possibly broke his nose in the accident. Wise said he went to McDonald’s at 4 a.m., realized the business was closed, then cut through the bank drive-thru area. Wise said he didn’t realize he had done that much damage at the scene.
Damages are estimated at $6500.
Wise was booked into the Calhoun County Jail.
