Crime & Safety

Police Accuse 'Designated Driver' of Drunken Driving

Local cops pulled over a man this month who reportedly told them he was the DD. He was well over the legal limit, according to police, and blamed his blood-alcohol level on having sparse body fat.

said a man who told them earlier this month that he was the night's "designated driver" was intoxicated behind the wheel.

They arrested Keith R. Houda, 27, no address given, around 1:50 a.m. March 9. He was stopped near the intersection of 171st and LaGrange Road in after police saw him cruising over lane lines, nearly striking the curb on the side of the roadway, according to the report. 

"Keith stated, 'Why are you pulling me over?'" an officer wrote in the report. "As Keith spoke, I observed his speech to be slurred and smelled an odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath. I advised Keith of the … traffic violations I observed and he stated, 'I'm the DD driver tonight.'"

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Houda reportedly leaned on his car for support while getting out to perform field sobriety tests, which police said he failed. He told officers he drank three beers at his house and one beer at J.W. Hollstein's during the evening, the report said. 

"Before submitting a sample of his breath, Keith stated 'I have only 10 percent body fat, I am not over the limit,'" according to the report.

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Houda blew a .158 on the Breathalyzer, police said. He was charged with making an improper turn, improper lane use, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08.

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