LANCASTER COUNTY — A Columbia man is facing DUI and related charges after he was found with two mini-bottles of Fireball Whiskey in his pocket during a traffic stop early Sunday morning in Manor Township, police say.
Diego Gonzalez-Colon, 34, was arrested at about 2:15 a.m. after Manor Township Police pulled him over in the area of Whitechapel Road and Sutherland Road, according to police. Because it is his third DUI offense in 10 years, police say, the DUI charge from Sunday’s incident is a felony offense.
Gonzalez-Colon is also charged with driving under a suspended license and several summary traffic offenses, police say.
According to police, Gonzalez-Colon nearly struck an officer’s vehicle with his white BMW while traveling south on South Centerville Road. The officer was transporting a juvenile home at the time and was unable to pursue, but he contacted another officer who was in the area and alerted him to the vehicle.
The second officer spotted the suspect vehicle and began following it as it continued on South Centerville Road, police say. The officer observed Gonzalez-Colon commit a traffic violation as he turned right onto Stone Mill Road and initiated a traffic stop, police say.
The officer observed that Gonzalez-Colon had the odor of alcohol on his breath and had glassy, bloodshot eyes — both signs of intoxication, according to police. Gonzalez-Colon also appeared to be unsteady on his feet, police say.
When questioned, Gonzalez-Colon allegedly admitted to consuming beer and did not pass field sobriety tests, police say. He was taken into custody on suspicion of DUI.
During a search, police say, Gonzalez-Colon was found to be in possession of two partially filled small bottles of Fireball Whiskey in his pockets.
Police say Gonzalez-Colon consented to a blood alcohol test, and results showed his BAC was at .161 percent, which is over the legal limit.
Gonzalez-Colon was found to be driving under a suspended license due to two prior DUI convictions, police say.
