Suspected drunk driver to police: just take me to jail

PLYMOUTH TWP, Mich. (WJBK) - A man suspected of being under the influence before causing a crash in Plymouth Township didn't bother to try and excuse his apparent criminal behavior. He told the police to just take him to jail.

Police were called to southbound I-275 near Ann Arbor Road on May 13th to a report of an accident around 1 a.m. A female caller said she had just been hit by another car and the man was trying to leave the scene.

When they arrived, they met up with the 25-year-old who told them he was drinking beer before the crash. When the officer started to give him a field sobriety test, the man told them to just take him to jail because he was under the influence.

The couple were driving on 275 when they were hit by 25-year-old Aaron Zueno. After the accident, they said he tried to take off.

"He ran into us like crazy - ran us off the road and everything - and then he kept going we had to chase him down," the callers said.

Police arrived and questioned the Livonia man outside his vehicle. The entire bizarre encounter was captured on police dashcam video.

"Do you think you are drunk right now?" he was asked.

"I wouldn't say so," he told police. He then said he didn't think alcohol was a factor. "No, I was on the phone."

Then police started to give him a field sobriety test. At first, he cooperated with the breath test. But when he was asked to walk a straight line, he balked.

"Probably just take to me jail. Just give me the DUI," he told police.

The responding officers told him they were trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and that they didn't want to take him to jail.

Zuenos had a reason for wanting to take the breathalyzer but not walking the straight line - he thought he found a way around the law. But it didn't fool anyone.

"Got anything in your mouth right now?" the officer asked. He admitted to having a penny. "That doesn't work man, just a big myth."

He blew on the test, penny free, and officers arrested him for operating under the influence. So, he finally got what he wanted: to be hauled off to jail.

The couple he hit were not injured in the accident.