Duluth officer's attempt to help stranded driver leads to arrest

(Duluth Police Department)

A Duluth police officer's attempted to help a stranded driver ended up ending with an arrest.

Officials with the Duluth Police Department say Thursday, the officer was on Buford Highway near Duluth Highway Thursday when he noticed a vehicle broken down on the side of the road.

The driver told police that his car stalled and ran out of gas. 

While trying to help the 30-year-old man, officials say the officer realized the identifying information the man had given him didn't turn up anything.

When the officer pointed this out and used a fingerprint identification system, the man admitted to giving him a fake name and date of birth, saying he lied because he "didn't know what was on [his] record," police said. 

Investigators say the man then confessed to smoking marijuana before driving.

The suspect, who has not been identified, was charged with driving under the infuence of drugs, giving a false name and date of birth, and driving without a license on his person.