Man snoozes at traffic light then snoozes behind bars
49-year old Shawn Patrick Cielo of Palm Beach Gardens didn’t think much of catching a few winks during a red light at the intersection of Cove Road and US1. He was in such a deep sleep, that passing motorists were fearful that he may have passed away at the light. Cielo’s car was running, his foot was on the brake, but he appeared to be out cold.
When Martin County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived to investigate, they knew they had a delicate situation on their hands. If Cielo’s foot slipped off the brake, the car would roll right into the intersection. So Deputy Lauren Hines parked her patrol car in front of Cielo’s car, before trying to wake him up. Once in place, Deputy Hines knocked on Cielo’s window….and knocked…and knocked. All of a sudden Cielo woke up, his foot slid off the brake, and his car moved forward smashing right into Deputy Hine’s patrol car.
Cielo was stunned to learn that he wasn’t at his home in Palm Beach County. He was equally surprised to learn that his intoxication required a hospital visit, before he was taken to the jail.
Shawn Cielo had a blood alcohol level of .301, more than three times the legal limit. In addition to DUI, Cielo was charged with driving with a suspended license with knowledge.
After his hospital trip, Cielo was taken to the Martin County Jail on a $1,150 bond.
