Man indicted with felony DUI after blowing 3 times legal limit

A man was indicted on a felony charge of driving under the influence after blowing more than three times the legal driving limit.

According to court documents, a Juneau police officer checked on blue 1998 Ford Taurus stopped in the inbound shoulder of Egan Drive near Twin Lakes. The vehicle’s emergency lights were flashing.

Officer Jim Esbenshade contacted the man in the driver’s seat, later identified as Gary Piper, 51. The key was in the ignition and Esbenshade said he smelled “a strong odor of alcohol on his breath” and had bloodshot, watery eyes and swayed balance.

Piper failed field sobriety tests. Later, Piper was given a breathalyzer test, where he blew a 0.268 blood alcohol content.

The vehicle was impounded. Juneau Police Department didn’t release whether the car was registered to Piper.

According to court documents, the indictment was on a felony charge because Piper had prior DUI convictions in 2013 and 2015.

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