The Duke University Police Department arrested Trinity junior Lyndon King Allin, 20, early Thursday morning and charged him with driving while intoxicated, according to an arrest report filed Thursday with the Durham County Magistrate's Office. DUPD later charged Allin with hit and run, as he allegedly attempted to leave the scene of an accident on Flowers Drive.
Cpl. Davis Trimmer of DUPD arrested Allin at approximately 2 a.m. Thursday morning on Erwin Road near Flowers Drive. Trimmer came upon Allin's bronze, two-door Ford Mustang on the side of Erwin Road while on a routine patrol. Trimmer indicated in the arrest report that, "Mr. Allin was involved in an accident and had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on him."
Reading from Trimmer's report of the incident, Capt. Charles Nordan of DUPD said that Trimmer interviewed Trinity junior Carla Franklin-a witness at the scene who alleged that her car had been hit by Allin's while both were driving on Flowers Drive. Trimmer said in his report that after talking with Franklin, he approached Allin's car and smelled alcohol.
Trimmer then asked Allin to step out of his car and walk to Trimmer's patrol car. Trimmer said that Allin wavered while walking. According to the arrest report, Allin then "failed two field sobriety tests." At that point, Trimmer arrested Allin at the scene and charged him with one count of driving while intoxicated under North Carolina General Statute 20-138.1.
The Chronicle attempted Sunday to contact Allin by telephone and e-mail without success. Allin's mother said Sunday afternoon that neither she nor anyone else could comment on the case.
After Allin was arrested, DUPD took him to the Durham County Magistrate's Office, where a Durham Police Department officer tested his blood-alcohol level using an Intoxilyzer 5000 machine. According to the arrest report, Allin's blood-alcohol level was determined to be 0.15 percent. The legal limit for blood-alcohol level while driving is 0.08 percent.
Franklin said in an interview Sunday that she and two of her friends were on their way home Thursday morning after studying in the Bryan Center when her car was hit. She said she was about to drop off one of her friends at Trent Dormitory on Flowers Drive when one of her passengers saw a set of headlights.
Trinity junior Derrick Lloyd said he was sitting in the back seat on the driver's side when he turned around and saw a set of headlights weaving back and forth across the road. Franklin said the lights approached quickly. "By the time I could react," she said, "he had hit us."
After the other car struck the right front corner of her car, Franklin added, it slowed and then sped off around the corner onto Erwin Road. She said she followed the car in an attempt to get its license plate number. When she turned the corner, Franklin said, she saw the car had hit the curb and was stopped at the side of the road. At that point, Trimmer arrived at the scene.
After further investigation of the incident, Nordan said DUPD found sufficient evidence to file an additional charge of hit and run under North Carolina General Statute 20-166(c). Allin's preliminary hearings in Durham County Court for both charges are scheduled for Oct. 16.
Allin is a former Chronicle reporter and served as an at-large Duke Student Government legislator during his sophomore year.
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