A driver who allegedly fled a traffic stop and nearly hit an officer pleaded not guilty Thursday in Mower County Court.

Zane Martin Roberts, 22, of Austin, pleaded not guilty to felony fleeing in a motor vehicle and two misdemeanor counts of DWI.

An officer noticed two vehicles driving erratically on Interstate 90 at about 1:30 a.m. last Friday, so he followed them off of the offramp and and initiated a traffic stop. When the officer got out of his squad car and approached, Roberts allegedly fled in his vehicle and nearly struck the officer. According to the court complaint, if the officer had not moved, he would have been struck. The officer pursued the fleeing driver to an apartment complex in southwest Austin where Roberts allegedly exited the vehicle, fled on foot, fell down an embankment and into a field. From there, the complaint added, Roberts fell down two more times, got back up and kept running. The third time he fell, officers grabbed him and arrested him.

According to the court complaint, Roberts’ blood alcohol level at the jail was .10.