BUSTI - A reckless driving complaint resulted in a felony drunken driving charge against a Busti man.
Lakewood-Busti police were dispatched Tuesday around 4 p.m. to Forest Avenue Extension for a report of an erratic driver on the roadway. Officers found Scott A. Bellardo, 45, slumped over in the driver's seat when they arrived.
The pickup truck was found facing north in the northbound lane parked partially in the road. Police asked Bellardo to perform a series of field sobriety tests, which he allegedly failed.
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Scott A. Bellardo
Witnesses told police that Bellardo was driving recklessly in the southbound lane before accelerating and driving off the right side of the road. The Busti resident then drove back onto the road, crossed the double yellow line and spun to a stop.
Bellardo's blood alcohol content was found to be .18 percent, more than twice the legal limit in New York state.
A check of his license showed Bellardo had previously been convicted of driving while intoxicated in the last 10 years. As a result, his charges were upgraded to a felony.
Bellardo was charged with felony aggravated DWI, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane and failure to keep right. He was arraigned in court and remanded to Chautauqua County Jail.