UPS Driver Raliegh Burton Charged With DUI In Crash With Commissioner

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. -- A UPS driver is facing drunken driving charges after he hit a Clayton County commissioner's vehicle.

Commission chairman Eldrin Bell was taken to Southe Regional Hospital to be checked out. Bell was treated and released early Friday moing.

GA Daily News was the only station to talk with the UPS driver, and our cameras were rolling as Raliegh Burton was taken into custody.

”I wasn't driving drunk, man, Burton told GA Daily News.

Burton was still wearing his UPS uniform when Clayton County police took him into custody.

Police said that they were running a special operation on Highway 138 targeting drunken drivers and were trying to pull Burton over.

But in the process, they said, Burton slammed into another car -- a car that happened to belong to Clayton County Commission chairman Eldrin Bell.

”What happened was I was coming up 138 and I stopped and I slid into the back of the guy, said Burton.

Channel 2 reporter Tony Thomas: Do you realize who you hit?

Burton: I realized who it was after I hit him, but it wasn't intentional. I mean, I'm a safe driver for UPS. I've been doing it for years.

There wasn't a lot of damage to either car, but police said Bell was injured enough to be taken to the hospital.

Channel 2 was there as officers administered Burton a Breathalyzer test and then hauled him off to jail.

”It appears he just got off work. He doesn't seem to have a prior record, but if this was his first time drinking and driving, he picked a bad night to start, said police spokeswoman Tina Daniels.

Burton is charged with DUI and following too close. Bell is expected to release an official statement from his office later Friday moing.

Another driver hit Bell over the summer. Police charged an 18-year old with sideswiping Bell on Interstate 85 north. Bell had just left church in his county vehicle, when the accident happened in June. Bell is a former Atlanta Police Chief.