Derby Man Appeared To Not Know What Town He Was In Arrested On DUI In Darien: Cops

DARIEN, CT — A 52-year-old Derby man, who police said appeared to be so intoxicated he didn't know he was in Darien, was arrested on a charging of driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol on July 10, according to police.

Glenn A. Gruttadauria, of Iannotti Lane, was apprehended on Mansfield Avenue at about 2:45 p.m. after a witness reported seeing an erratic driver in the area.

"When asked by the Officer where he was going, the operator stated that he was driving to
see an ex-girlfriend in Bridgeport," wrote Darien police in a statement. "The Officer asked the operator, identified as Glenn Gruttadauria, if he knew what town he was in, to which he replied 'I need to get back to
the Merritt.' Gruttadauria then told the Officer he was going to the Trumbull Mall to get
his phone fixed. As he spoke, Officers detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his
breath and observed that his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. When asked if he had been
drinking, the operator replied that he had 'A couple of beers.'

"Officers asked Gruttadauria to exit his vehicle for field sobriety testing. As he did so,
Officers observed that he was unsteady on his feet and swayed back and forth while standing. He submitted to the standardized field sobriety testing, which he failed to perform to standard. At this time, Officers placed Gruttadauria under arrest. While inventorying Gruttadauria’s vehicle prior to it being towed Officers found several empty bottles of vodka, and one un-opened can of beer."

Gruttadauria submitted to breathalyzer-testing, and at 4:24 p.m. his BAC measured at .1564, and at 4:43 p.m. it measured at .1514.

Both readings were allegedly above the legal limit, but police said they could have been worse.

"Officers noted that due to delays in towing Gruttadauria’s vehicle, the second test was recorded almost two hours after initially encountering the suspect, giving his BAC time to decrease from the level it was while he was operating his vehicle," wrote police.

Gruttadauria was released on a promise to appear in Stamford Superior Court on July 24.

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