Drunk Driver Tosses Beer Can Out Window During Traffic Stop: Cops

RIVERSIDE, IL — Riverside Police arrested a man who was drunk driving at 2:20 p.m. on Friday, June 15. Orlando Coronel, 29, of Chicago, was charged with felony aggravated DUI, misdemeanor DUI for an alcohol blow above 0.08, driving while license suspended, driving with no valid license, driving with open alcohol, no proof of insurance, expired registration and driving in wrong lane.

Police said they first received a call of what was initially reported as a reckless driver on Friday afternoon at First Avenue and Ridgewood. All of the callers reported a black SUV travelling southbound on First in the northbound lanes. Callers told police the car was driving in the wrong lane and forcing other cars off the road.

According to police, when an officer arrived he found the SUV travelling southbound in the northbound lanes. The officer had to use the air horn and excessive police sirens and lights in order to stop the car near
First Avenue and Ogden. When the officer approached the car, the driver tossed a beer can out the passenger window.

When the officer talked to the driver, now identified as Coronel, he could barely speak, and had a smell of alcohol beverage coming from his mouth and breath. Police said his eyes appeared to be bloodshot and watery and he slurred his speech. When asked by the officer how much he had to drink he stated one beer.

Coronel failed all roadside field sobriety testing and was arrested, police said. While preparing his car to be towed, officers recovered 24 empty beers. The officers also found a cooler full of ice which had multiple beer bottle caps inside and they recovered smoking devices commonly used to ingest cannabis.

Once in custody, police also found alcohol receipts from several liquor stores prior to the arrest. Police said Coronel took the breath test and registered a .12 BAC. Cornelia’s criminal history includes traffic offenses, cannabis, reckless conduct, aggravated battery and burglary.

Riverside Police have confiscated Coronel's' vehicle, a 2003 Ford SUV, and will file seizure paperwork on the vehicle in an attempt to sell the vehicle to combat drunk drivers and drugged drivers on Illinois roadways, police said. Coronel's bond was set at $20,000 I-bond.

Photo provided by Riverside Police Department.