Man Found Passed Out in Car Arrested

LONGVIEW — Longview police early Tuesday apprehended a man they say was driving drunk near a local hospital. Officers responded to the intersection of Fifth Street and Magrill Street immediately south of Good Shepherd Medical Center after report of a man passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle. One officer found the man, later identified as Marco Contreras-Mendoza, 25, passed out in the left-turn lane with his vehicle in drive. The officer removed the keys and could smell an alcoholic beverage, reports showed. Contreras-Mendoza only spoke Spanish in the officers’ presence and provided a Mexican ID, reports showed.

He failed nine of 10 clues for intoxication, and during a blood-alcohol test, he blew a 0.219 and 0.215, both more than two times above the legal limit. Contreras-Mendoza has at least three drunk driving convictions all within the past 21 months. He remained in the Gregg County Jail at last report. Bond had not been set.