A man was arrested last week after officers tracked down a hit‑and‑run suspect and found him intoxicated in the backyard of a residence, according to the Newman Police Department.

Officers were dispatched around 3:15 p.m. to Fresno and P Street for a report of a hit‑and‑run. Video from a nearby business showed the suspect vehicle fleeing the scene, and officers later located the car on West Tulare Avenue with matching damage.

While speaking with people at the residence, officers found Chance Hutson in the backyard surrounded by beer cans, broken bottles and margarita drinks. Police said Hutson showed signs of intoxication, including watery eyes, slurred speech, an unsteady gait and a strong odor of alcohol.

Hutson admitted to being involved in the collision, telling officers he drove away because he was scared. He also said he had been drinking earlier in the day, stopped to go to the store, and continued drinking after returning home.

Hutson agreed to a preliminary alcohol screening and registered a 0.24% blood‑alcohol concentration, police said. He was booked on DUI charges. The victim in the hit‑and‑run declined to press charges.