Crime & Safety
Accused Drunken Driver to Cops: 'I'm a Lawyer, You Know'
A local resident called police on a suspected drunken driver earlier this month who was reportedly nailing curbs on Harlem Avenue and cruising across lane lines.
A driver called 911 around 11:15 p.m. June 3 after reportedly watching a vehicle strike the center median near the intersection of 183rd Street and Harlem Avenue.
Police tracked down the 2000 Buick Regal being driven by John W. Pleta, 52, of the 17900 block of Flamingo Drive in . Officers watched Pleta nearly strike a curb in the 8100 block of 175th Street and then drive across the painted center line, according to the report.
" … I then activated all emergency lights," an officer wrote, in the report. "The vehicle did not stop and continued to travel westbound on 175th Street. The vehicle then struck the right-hand curb and almost drove onto the grass … I sounded my air horn several times and the vehicle still did not stop …"
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Pleta reportedly pulled over just east of 84th Avenue and 175th Street.
"I approached the driver's side of the vehicle and motioned for the driver … to roll down his window," the report said. "As John rolled down the window, I immediately smelled an odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from the vehicle. The driver turned toward me and stated, 'hi.'"
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Pleta reportedly failed field sobriety tests and was arrested.
"While escorting John to my squad, he stated, 'Do you really have to go there? I'm a lawyer, you know,'" the report said.
He blew a .213 on the Breathalyzer, police said, and was charged with improper lane use, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08.
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