A former Massachusetts state Democratic representative was arrested for alleged drunk driving early Thursday morning after police found him passed out in his car.
Mark J. Carron, who served the 6th Worcester District in Massachusetts from 1999 until January 2006, was found asleep in his car around 2 a.m. after a resident reported a suspicious vehicle parked in a driveway and partially in the road.
Carron was charged with driving under the influence – his fourth offense – and for having an open container.
The Worcester Telegram reports:
"They (police) had to bang on the window several times to wake the (driver)," Sgt. Lourie said.
Police said his foot was on the brake and the car was in gear. Police said Mr. Carron failed several field sobriety tests.
Police also found a water bottle containing a brownish liquid that smelled of alcohol in the car.
"It looks like he also drove over a lawn at one of the residences in the area," Sgt. Lourie said.
Mr. Carron said in an interview he was driving home from Worcester. He acknowledged he had consumed alcohol earlier that evening, around 6 p.m.
He said he was tired and tried to do the responsible thing by finding a discreet place to nap. It appeared to be a back road, he said.
Mr. Carron acknowledged that his record doesn’t look good.
He said his three drunk-driving convictions were more than 20 years old.
He said he was "tired, not drunk."
Mr. Carron said the beverage in his car was an ice coffee latte that was probably a week old; he had forgotten it was in the car.