La VERGNE, TN (WGNS) - A potentially dangerous situation at the Hurricane Creek Boat Ramp on Sunday morning ended safely thanks to a quick response from La Vergne police. Around 10:30 a.m., officers were dispatched after a caller reported a vehicle rolling toward Percy Priest Lake with a man slumped over behind the wheel.

When officers arrived, they found the car resting on the rocky bank, still in drive, and only a few feet from the water’s edge. The driver remained passed out in the seat. Officers secured the vehicle and checked on the man, immediately noticing the smell of alcohol along with several open containers inside the car.

After waking the driver, officers conducted field sobriety tests, which he was unable to complete as instructed. During the investigation, officers also found a handgun equipped with a 40‑round extended magazine inside the vehicle. The driver was taken into custody on charges including DUI, Possession of a Weapon Under the Influence, Open Container, and outstanding warrants for Rutherford County.

Police say the situation could have escalated quickly. Had the vehicle continued moving, it could have entered the lake, creating a far more serious emergency for the driver and anyone nearby. The La Vergne Police Department emphasized that impaired driving endangers everyone, whether on the road or in public recreation areas.