A Chicago man is under arrest on suspicion of DUI in suburban Riverside.
The man, 40-year-old Joseph Cosentino Jr., was arrested after being observed driving 52 MPH in a 35-mile per hour zone, according to a press release issued by Riverside Police.
When police officers were finally able to stop Cosentino’s vehicle, they found a bottle of UV Vodka and a bottle of Hennessy Cognac in the driver’s seat. They observed that both bottles were open and had plastic cups next to them, authorities said.
According to police, the driver of the vehicle was slurring his speech, and told officers “I’m fine” before they began speaking to him. He then fell to the roadway before beginning field sobriety tests, officers said.
When Cosentino was being placed in custody after allegedly failing those tests, he turned to officers and said “just take me” before being placed under arrest.
“The holiday season has begun, and we are seeing drunk and drugged driving every single day,” Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said. “Society needs to look at impaired driving as a serious crime and resources should be available to combat this criminal act, which is a 100 percent preventable crime.”
Cosentino was issued numerous citations for speeding and improper lane usage, and was arrested for DUI, police said. His vehicle was also observed to have damage on the passenger side, and police are investigating whether he was involved in a hit-and-run accident before being pulled over by authorities.
