Gassy Driver Belches His Way into a DUI

A Wisconsin driver who burped during a traffic stop faces a drunken driving charge.

John F. O'Connor, 51, of the 400 block of West Geneva, Williams Bay, WI, was charged with driving under the influence, improper lane use and driving with a revoked license, according to an Oak Forest police report.

Police spotted a black 2002 Ford Explorer with Wisconsin plates strike a curb at about 12:50 p.m. on Dec. 1 on 155th Street, the report states. The SUV swerved in the road before striking a corner. Police pulled it over and spoke with the driver, O'Connor.

The officer was able to smell an odor of alcohol when O'Connorr asked "Why did you pull me over?" the report states. Through slurred speech, the driver explained that he had come from an Oak Forest bar where he had "6 or 7 beers." It was at that point O'Connor belched and police were again able to smell the alcohol.

O'Connor had trouble standing when police asked him to get out of the car, the report states. Cops showed the driver how to take field sobriety tests. After his attempts, police took O'Connor into custody.

After he was taken to the Oak Forest Police Department for booking, O'Connor was offered and refused to take a breath test, the report states.

Police blotter information is provided by the Oak Forest Police Department. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.