Jan. 29--A Melrose Park man with 20 prior traffic arrests poured cologne on his chest to mask the smell of alcohol emanating from him during a traffic stop early Wednesday in Riverside, police said.
Daniel Marquez, 34, was charged with one count of aggravated felony DUI and several other offenses after police observed him at 2:40 a.m. taking an abrupt U-turn and weaving from lane to lane in his Ford while traveling west on Forest Avenue at Longcommon Road.
As the police officer approached the vehicle after it stopped at Riverside Road and Burlington Avenue, he could smell a strong scent of a man's cologne. The officer also was able to smell a strong odor of alcohol on the driver's breath and noticed his eyes were bloodshot, glassy and droopy, police said. Marquez also failed several sobriety tests.
He later admitted to police that he poured the cologne on himself to mask the alcohol smell. A 33-year-old passenger from Melrose Park was in the vehicle was charged with possession of open alcohol. Police said the passenger's pants were completely falling off him when asked to exit the vehicle.
Police said that Marquez has 20 prior traffic arrests including DUIs. Marquez, who lied about his identity to police, was also charged with obstruction of identification, driving while his license was suspended, illegal U-turn and driving without insurance and possession of open alcohol by driver.
Police said that Marquez was in court on Thursday and is being held without bail.
Joseph Ruzich is a freelance reporter.
