36-year-old Michael Hawkins was jailed Friday morning after reports of a driver asleep behind the wheel. When police arrived, they observed Hawkins in the driver’s seat with the car still running. When he noticed the officers approaching, he attempted to drive away. Police ordered him to stop. He complied and stumbled out of his vehicle. When police asked for Mr. Hawkin’s license, he was reluctant and handed officers a handgun carry permit instead. The officer asked if there was a handgun in the vehicle, to which Mr. Hawkins replied that there was a gun in the center console. The gun was within reaching distance. When the police asked him how much he had to drink, he admitted to having “one or two shots” earlier that day. He was visibly intoxicated and leaning on his vehicle to maintain his balance. It was noted that Mr. Hawkins smelled strongly of cologne, which officers believed was a cover scent. Officers later noticed a slight smell of alcohol on his breath despite the overpowering scent of his cologne. He consented to sobriety tests, performed poorly, and was taken into custody. During the vehicle search, officers located the handgun and a revoked license. Mr. Hawkins does not have any prior convictions or DUI.
DUI: Michael Hawkins has “one or two shots” before driving
