A Northville Police officer was traveling eastbound on Seven Mile Road approaching South Main Street when he noticed a black GMC Denali in the parking lot of Good Time Party Store, 567 Seven Mile Road, with its headlights on and engine running, well after all the stores in the retail complex were closed for the night, according to a police report.
The driver told police he and three passengers were at a party at Eight Mile and Napier roads and went to the store’s parking lot to pick up friend before heading back to the party and the group was looking for a party store that was open so they could buy alcohol, the report indicated.
While the officer spoke with the driver, he could detect a strong odor of alcohol coming from the passenger area of the vehicle.
The driver admitted to police he “had a few beers.”
Police identified the driver as 18 years old and the passengers as 15, 18 and 22 years old.
The driver told police he had one beer and six shots of Pinnacle Coconut vodka, and he registered a .09 percent blood alcohol content, above Michigan’s legal limit of .08 for legal drinkers.
The two passengers who were minors both registered a .000 percent blood alcohol content and had both contact someone for a ride home.
The 22-year-old passenger was not given a BAC test. He told police he had been invited to the party and did not realize there would be younger people there, and told police he didn’t know the other three vehicle occupants and was only going to buy some alcohol. Police had the man contact someone for a ride home.
Police arrested the driver on charges of operating while intoxicated. He has a March 11 court date.
Second driver arrested in parking lot
While the officer waited for one of the passengers to get a ride home, he saw a white Ford Fusion turn into the party store lot and pull into a parking space.
The driver of the vehicle told the officer he had been at work and went to the Starting Gate with his co-workers. He told police his friend, who owned the car, had been given a ride home and that that he did not want to leave the car in the parking lot of the Starting Gate. According to the report, police believe he was at the Wagon Wheel, and not the Starting Gate.
The man told police he had consumed a couple of beers and a shot after work.
The man told police he did not have a valid driver’s license because it had been revoked for previous alcohol-related offenses.
The driver failed a field sobriety test and refused a preliminary breath test, the report indicated.
Police impounded the vehicle and, given the driver’s previous alcohol-related offenses, destroyed the license plate on the car and issued a paper plate.
Police cited the man on charges of PBT refusal and are submitting the case to the Wayne County Prosecutor for felony charges for operating under the influence and driving with a license revoked. Policed lodged the man at the Plymouth Township station for pickup by Dearborn Heights Police on a warrant out of that department.
