Police: Monroe Man Sleeps at the Wheel, Gets Arrested

A Monroe man was arrested New Year’s Day on multiple charges, including driving drunk.

Police said Daniel Minardi, 23, of Turkey Roost Road, was seen around 6 a.m. stopped on Elm Street at the intersection with Route 111 in a red Dodge Ram truck while traffic signal change several times.

The investigating officer found Minardi asleep at the wheel with the vehicle in “Drive” and his foot on the brake.

When the officer tried to wake him, he opened his eyes and drove off through a red light, continuing to drive north on Elm. Minardi eventually came to a stop in the 300 block of Elm.

The driver had a strong smell of alcohol on him and, police said, he was confused

Minardi failed standardized field sobriety tests and was arrested.

He was charged with engaging police in pursuit, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol/drugs and failure to obey a traffic control signal.

He was released on $1,000 bond to appear in court Jan. 11.