Beer-Guzzling Man Drove 120 MPH On I-84 In Farmington/West Hartford: Police

FARMINGTON/WEST HARTFORD, CT — A 24-year-old Massachusetts man has been accused by police of driving 120 miles per hour on Interstate 84 in West Hartford/Farmington and stopping to drink a beer on the highway.

According to Connecticut State Police, Carlos Gallegos-Loja, 24, of Brockton, Mass., was charged Sunday, June 22, with illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, reckless driving, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, failure to drive in the proper lane, improper parking, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and drinking while driving.

Gallegos-Loja was released from custody on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on July 15.

According to state police, on Sunday, June 22, at approximately 1:04 a.m., troopers assigned to Troop H- Hartford were patrolling I-84 in West Hartford.

That's when a Chevrolet Traverse sport utility vehicle was observed pulled over in the right shoulder near Exit 44 on the westbound side with its occupants outside the vehicle, police said.

Troopers observed the vehicle had left the area upon turning to check on their status, police said.

A short time later, the same vehicle drove past another trooper in the area of I-84 westbound by Exit 39 at a high rate of speed, according to police.

The trooper subsequently clocked the vehicle's speed at 122 mph in a clearly posted 65 mph zone, and the operator was failing to maintain their lane while doing so, police said.

The trooper activated their emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop and the operator complied and pulled over near Exit 37 in Farmington, according to police.

The operator was positively identified as Gallegos-Loja.

"While speaking with Gallegos-Loja, troopers began to observe clear signs of impairment, to include slow actions, slow speech, and open alcoholic containers in plain view within the vehicle," wrote state police.

"When questioned about stopping near Exit 44, Gallegos-Loja explained that he had pulled over to drink a beer, then continued on his way westbound."

Gallegos-Loja was asked to submit to a field sobriety test, and he agreed, failing it in the process, and he was taken into custody without incident.

For more information on the case, click on this link.