Drunk Driver Found Asleep, Parked In The Road: Cops

RIVERSIDE, IL — A Chicago man was arrested Sunday in Riverside for drunk driving after he was found sleeping with his car was parked in the road, police said. Jackine Austin, 38, was charged with improper parking on a roadway, DUI and possession of open alcohol while driving. At 2:36 a.m. Sunday, a Riverside Police officer on patrol saw a car stopped in the northbound lanes of Harlem Avenue at the Burlington Northern railroad tracks.

According to police, the officer approached the car and Austin appeared to be asleep. The officer couldn't wake the Austin right away, and he saw a paper cup in the center console with what appeared to be beer inside. The officer then shook Austin slightly and raised his voice to get him to respond.

Police said the officer also saw a passenger in the car who was passed out, and tried to wake the passenger. However, after the officer gave the passenger a shake and a yell and attempted to remove him from the car, he still would not wake and appeared to be extremely intoxicated. The officer summoned paramedics since he believed the passenger may be suffering from alcohol overdose or poisoning. The 36-year-old passenger from Chicago was transported to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn with alcohol overdose, and he was later released.

After Austin awoke, the officer asked him to participate in field sobriety testing, police said. Austin told police he had been drinking and was on his way home. The officer observed that the Austin's eyes were bloodshot, glassy, and he was swaying from side to side and had a difficult time standing. Field sobriety testing was conducted, and Austin failed all testing.

Austin was arrested for DUI and on the way to the police station, he told police, "I couldn't pass those DUI tests even if I was sober." According to police, he then said that the officer should just go ahead and arrest him because he was not participating.

Police said Austin has 13 prior arrests including battery, assault, traffic offenses, burglary and drugs.

“This excessively impaired driving, whether alcohol or drugs, is an everyday occurrence and getting worse by the day," Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said in a release. "Maybe in the future when driverless cars are common on our Illinois roadways this may be what'll end up preventing drunk driving. If self-driving vehicles become a reality in the near future in Illinois and reduce drunk and drugged driving - I'm all for it.”

Photo provided by Riverside Police Department.