A 69-year-old Florida man told police he wasn't drinking and driving because he only sipped bourbon at red lights and stop signs.
Earle Stevens was arrested after repeatedly hitting another car at a McDonald's drive-thru in Vero Beach.
Stevens was arrested on June 27 after a woman called police saying he was bumping the back of her car over and over at the drive-thru.
When officers arrived, they found an empty bottle of Jim Beam bourbon in Stevens' passenger seat.
The Unusual Defense
Stevens answered "yes" when asked if he had been drinking and said he'd had "about three drinks."
But when asked if he had been drinking in the vehicle, he said "no" and argued he only drank at stop signs and traffic signals when his car was at a complete stop.
Stevens also told officers he had "actively" imbibed from his Jim Beam bottle during the 30-mile drive from Port St. Lucie to the McDonald's in Vero Beach.
What Police Found
Officers observed Stevens swaying from side to side with slurred speech and red, glossy eyes.
A deputy noted in the police report that he could smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on Stevens' breath.
Stevens allegedly blew a .153 and .147 on the breathalyzer, both nearly twice the legal limit of .08.
No License, Multiple Priors
Stevens told the deputy he had never held a valid Florida driver's license and only carried a Florida ID card.
Records revealed Stevens had two prior DUI charges from Missouri.
He was released from county jail after posting $1,500 bail and was scheduled to appear in court on July 31.
Stevens' creative interpretation of drinking and driving laws didn't prevent his arrest or the charges that followed.