An Ankeny man was arrested for operating while intoxicated after erratic driving, nearly hitting pedestrians and striking posts at a convenience store. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office was called to the Casey’s General Store in Guthrie Center at approximately 5:58 p.m. on Sunday. Witnesses told authorities that 24-year-old Florencio Montes Gregorio pulled into a parking spot in front of the store in a 2004 Nissan Maxima, parked the vehicle and went inside. After returning to the car, he put it into drive instead of reverse and nearly struck the building as other patrons were exiting the store. This occurred multiple times before Gregorio managed to get the Maxima into reverse. He backed up at that point, striking the protective posts and a sign at the fuel pumps, nearly striking the pumps themselves. He then pulled up to the pump he narrowly missed to get fuel. When the deputy arrived, Gregorio was taken into custody and booked into the Guthrie County jail. In addition to the OWI, he has also been charged for driving without a valid license, open container—driver 21 years old and older, failure to provide proof of financial liability in an accident and reckless driving. There was an estimated $2,500 in damage to the Nissan and $200 to the sign on the post barrier.
