A Connecticut highway witnessed a dangerous act when a man paused his car to down a beer, ultimately leading to a high-speed pursuit and multiple serious charges.
At a Glance
- Carlos Gallegos-Loja, 23, of Massachusetts, was arrested for DUI and reckless driving on I-84 in Connecticut.
- He admitted to state troopers that he had stopped his car on the highway shoulder specifically “to drink a beer.”
- After being let go, he was later clocked driving at 122 mph in a 65-mph zone.
- He faces six charges, including DUI, reckless driving, and operating without a license.
A Bizarre Roadside Stop
Connecticut State Police encountered a bizarre situation in the early hours of Sunday, June 23, when they stopped to check on a Chevrolet Traverse pulled over on the shoulder of Interstate 84 in West Hartford. When troopers questioned the driver, 23-year-old Carlos Gallegos-Loja of Brockton, Massachusetts, he offered a stunningly brazen explanation for his stop.
According to the police report cited by the New York Post, Gallegos-Loja “explained that he had pulled over to drink a beer and then continued on his way.”
High-Speed Pursuit and Arrest
The encounter did not end there. After the initial interaction, the same troopers later observed the Chevrolet Traverse speeding down the highway. According to NBC Connecticut, police clocked the vehicle traveling at an astonishing 122 mph in a 65-mph zone.
The troopers initiated a second traffic stop, and this time, the driver’s night was over. Upon approaching the vehicle, police observed that Gallegos-Loja showed “clear signs of impairment,” including slurred speech and slowed movements. He subsequently failed a series of standardized field sobriety tests. A search of his vehicle revealed open containers of Corona beer.
Facing a Raft of Charges
Gallegos-Loja was arrested and transported to State Police Troop H headquarters in Hartford, where he was charged with a raft of offenses, including:
- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs
- Reckless Driving
- Operating a Motor Vehicle without a License
- Operating a Motor Vehicle without Insurance
- Drinking While Operating a Motor Vehicle
- Failure to Maintain Proper Lane
He was later released on a $1,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on July 15. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by impaired and reckless driving on the nation’s highways.
