KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A man arrested for drunk driving after he fell asleep at a red light will spend at least 45 days in jail and pay a hefty fine.
According to the Knox Co. District Attorney General's office, a jury convicted Luis Alexis Briceno, 25, of multiple charges including DUI Second Offense this week. He will be sentenced on June 24.
At trial, prosecutors said another driver called police because a man seemed to be asleep at the wheel at the red light at Kingston Pike and Morell Road. The driver said the car hadn't moved for several light cycles.
When an officer arrived to check on the driver, he found Briceno with mumbled speech, bloodshot eyes, and could smell a strong odor of alcohol.
Prosecutors said Briceno failed a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer revealed his blood alcohol content to be 0.155, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08.
In addition, Briceno’s driver’s license was revoked from a DUI conviction the previous year.
“DUI enforcement saves lives,” said DA Charme Allen. “Luckily, no one was injured in this case because a concerned citizen alerted law enforcement to this dangerous situation.”
Briceno faces a maximum sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days with a minimum sentence of forty-five days in custody. In addition to finding him guilty, the jury assessed the maximum fine of $3,500. His license will also be revoked for a period of two years.
