A Vineland, N.J. man already accused of driving under the influence a handful of times in the past five weeks was busted for drunk driving again Wednesday.
Anderson Sotomayor was arrested just before noon after police say they were tipped off to an erratic driver near 4th Street and Park Avenue. Police then witnessed Sotomayor swerving out of his lane before pulling him over at Park and Crystal Avenues, Vineland Police told NBC10's Ted Greenberg.
An officer arrested Sotomayor for DWI after the officer witnessed an open bottle of booze in plain sight.
Besides DWI, police say that Sotomayor -- who lives on Almond Road -- was charged with having an open container in his car, reckless driving, refusing to take a breathalyzer test and using a controlled dangerous substance. Police told NBC10 that Sotomayor admitted to using Oxycodone.
As of 2 p.m. Sotomayor remained in the custody of Vineland Police. Because of the drug charge Sotomayor was later hauled off to Cumberland County Jail on $10,000 bail, cops told NBC10.
"We’re happy that we have a person that is a risk to the community that’s off the streets and that is our goal," Vineland Police Capt. Tom Ulrich told NBC10.
NBC10 was the only station outside Vineland Police when Sotomayor, walking on crutches and wearing a gray shirt, walked out of the station and got into a cop car to be transferred to jail.
Sotomayor said nothing to our cameras.
This latest incident was the fifth time in as many weeks that the 45-year-old Vineland man was busted driving while intoxicated. He still had his license because he has yet to go to court on any of the earlier charges, police told NBC10.
"It’s done on a bail schedule and DWI, normally an offense that lets the person be arrested, be released for a responsible party, vehicle impounded for 12 hours, and then they go to court at a later date," Ulrich said.
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On Tuesday it was reported that just this past Saturday, Sotomayor was spotted driving the wrong way down a one-way street, then hitting a curb and driving off the street, police said. NBC10.com reported a couple of weeks ago that Sotomayor was busted for DUI three times in 16 days -- April 9, 11 and 25.
Police say that in the first incident he allegedly hit a cop car, in the April 11 incident he allegedly struck a utility pole and on April 25 police say they spotted him swerving. Officers say they found a cold, open 40-ounce bottle of beer in his car during that arrest.
The AP reports that he was also issued five summonses -- not including drunken driving -- on April 2. Police say that day, he swerved around a school bus as it unloaded kids, ran a stop sign, hit the bus and fled the scene of the crash.
The Daily Journal reported that Sotomayor was set to go to court for the first three DWIs on May 30.
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