Early this morning, Bowling Green Police Division responded to a hit-skip at the new parklet located in the 100 block of East Wooster Street.
Officers investigated the crash and were able to determine that it occurred at 4:48 a.m. Officers searched the surrounding area, located the suspect vehicle and were able to speak with the driver.
Timothy Koogan, 65, Bowling Green, was cited for failure to maintain reasonable control and failure to stop after an accident on a public road.
Koogan has a history of 19 driving offenses through Bowling Green Municipal Court.
Police checked the downtown cameras, which showed a small silver SUV headed eastbound in the 100 block of East Wooster Street. The car drifted off the right side of the road and struck the parklet. After driving partially through the parklet, the vehicle continued eastbound and then turned north onto North Prospect Street.
Police located the vehicle at Koogan’s residence in the second block of East Poe Road.
Koogan reportedly told officers he had been at a downtown bar, but stopped drinking and left at 10:30 p.m. He told police that he did not drive on Wooster Street.
Then an officer arrived at Koogan’s residence with two pieces of headlight plastic that were left at the parklet scene. The pieces reportedly were the exact match to a broken area in Koogan’s right headlight.
Koogan reportedly told police he couldn’t remember anything about the crash, and asked if he could be tested for the date rape drug that could have caused him to black out.
Charges against Koogan listed on the municipal court website also include an improper handling of firearms, two disorderly conducts with one involving intoxicants, and defecation on someone’s property.
Bowling Green City Council member Rachel Phipps said she hopes the parklet will be rebuilt. Kabob It is responsible for maintaining and insuring the parklet in front of its restaurant, but the Parklet Project is interested in helping anyway possible with the rebuild, Phipps said.
