DES MOINES, Iowa — A driver was charged with an OWI after crashing into a Des Moines Police Department patrol car early Friday morning.

According to the DMPD, the crash occurred in the 6200 block of SE 5th Street just after 1 a.m. when a 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air hit a 1st watch patrol officer nearly head-on.

The driver, 62-year-old Daniel Thornburg, drove away from the scene of the crash. He was located by other officers near SE 4th Street and Payton Avenue within three minutes of the crash.

Authorities say both Thornburg and the patrol officer sustained minor injuries in the crash.

Photos courtesy of Des Moines Police Department

Thornburg was arrested and charged with OWI-1st Offense, Improper Lane Use, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident.

Des Moines Police remind residents that the Iowa Governor’s Safety Bureau is offering a $10 Uber voucher, encouraging drivers to plan ahead and make it home safely.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 2019 and 2023, 40 percent of the more than 2,500 drivers were killed during the annual holiday period.