DUI Suspect Arrested Driving on Laguna Seca With Child In The Car

DUI suspect arrested on Mazda race track Modesto man had his infant son in the car

By VICTOR CALDERON The Salinas Californian

An intoxicated driver caught speeding around the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca track Sunday told officers he was lost and trying to get to his hotel.

A Monterey County sheriff's deputy on patrol at adjacent Laguna Seca Recreational Area spotted a 1980 Porsche on the raceway about 5:20 p.m., and found John Patrick Krukar, 42, of Modesto, at the wheel when he investigated, California Highway Patrol Officer Art Carbonel said Monday.

"The track is so large that things like this can happen, but it's extremely rare," Carbonel said. "The track is for professional drivers only and not for civilians."
He said Krukar was driving under the influence of alcohol at speeds of up to 90 mph on the track, which was closed after the conclusion of the weekend's Monterey Sports Car Championships.
Even more disturbing, Carbonel said, Krukar had his 5-month-old son with him in the car.
Krukar was booked into Monterey County Jail on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol with an enhancement of doing so with a child under the age of 14 in the vehicle. His son was taken into Child Protective Services.
"If (Krukar) meant to race around the track, he was reckless," Carbonel said. "Thankfully, the deputy that stopped him was in the right place at the right time, and everything worked out."
Contact Victor Calderón at vcalderon@thecalifornian.com.