A Ceres Police officer watched a 49-year-old Ceres driver nearly hit a parked car on Fowler Road on Friday, Feb. 21 and arrested for drunken driving.

Officer Adam Hall was eastbound on Hatch Road at 12:40 a.m. when he observed a westbound Jeep SUV make an illegal U-turn just past the Jack in the Box. The vehicle then turned onto southbound Mitchell Road without stopping at the red traffic signal light. Hall followed and observed the Jeep veering between lanes and at nearly collided into a parked vehicle on Fowler Road. Officer Hall stopped the vehicle on Rose Avenue south of Fowler Road.

Driver Jose Alonzo Manriquez appeared intoxicated and reeked of alcohol. Manriquez admitted drinking “a lot” so Officer Hall conducted a field sobriety test which indicated Manriquez was under the influence of alcohol. An evidentiary breath sample showed a 0.19 percent blood alcohol content, which is over double the legal limit.

Manriquez was booked into the Stanislaus County Public safety Center for DUI.