BEREA, Ohio – A Berea man, 28, was arrested at about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 14 after police caught him driving while intoxicated on North Rocky River Drive.
The man was driving an orange Nissan sport-utility vehicle on southbound North Rocky River. He passed a police cruiser and abruptly hit the brakes, causing the SUV to lose traction and squeal.
The SUV swerved and drifted left of center. The man accelerated and slowed down several times and almost hit the curb.
Police stopped the SUV on North Rocky River near Nancy Drive. As the man pulled over, he drove over the curb and onto a tree lawn.
As police walked toward the SUV, they saw the man put something into his mouth. Soon afterward, they noticed that his breath smelled minty.
The man denied drinking alcohol, telling police, “You can do a drink test, whatever you want to do.”
The man, as requested, handed police his driver’s license and insurance card. He told police he had more paperwork to give them but police said they didn’t need it.
The man said, “This is the first time getting pulled, Iowa.” Police asked the man if he had moved here from Iowa. He said no, that he had just moved from New Jersey to Illinois.
Police told the man he was in Ohio, not Illinois. The man said, “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”
The man stuck several papers out the SUV’s windows. Police told him he could put all the paperwork away. He asked them if they were sure, adding that he didn’t want any problems.
Police asked the man to step out of the car. Still grasping his documents, the man complied. Police told him to leave the papers in the car, but the man insisted that police look at them.
The man finally dropped the papers onto driver’s seat. Then he stumbled into the SUV.
Police wanted the man to perform a few field sobriety tests. They asked him if he knew his ABCs. The man laughed and said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
The man refused to perform field sobriety tests so police placed him in handcuffs.
During booking at the police station, the man didn’t follow instructions as police tried to administer a breath test. He accused police of trying to set him up and started video-recording them with his cell phone.
