Wednesday — February 11, 2004

Listerine found in mug during DUI arrest in SV

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

After arresting a Boise man on DUI charges last week, Sun Valley police officers found a mixture of vodka and mouth wash in a coffee mug beneath the driver’s seat of his car.

David J. Wilder, 45, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after failing field sobriety tests and blowing a .25 on the Intoxilyzer at the Ketchum Police Department, said Sun Valley Police Chief Cam Daggett. The legal blood alcohol limit in Idaho is .08.

Wilder was pulled over at 4:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, on Old Dollar Road. According to Daggett, an officer observed as Wilder drove left of the center line as he traveled north on Elkhorn Road passing Dollar Cabin.

The officer could allegedly smell alcohol on Wilder’s breath and observed that his eyes were red and glassy, Daggett said.

"He swayed as he stood and acted extremely nervous," Daggett said.

Daggett said Wilder failed three field sobriety tests.

Upon searching parts of the vehicle within the driver’s reach, something Daggett said is a standard practice following DUI arrests, officers found "several full and empty bottles of blue, mint Listerine" behind the driver’s seat. Under the driver’s seat, they found a sealed plastic coffee mug that had a "bluish clear liquid" with ice cubes that smelled like Listerine.

Daggett said that Wilder later told police the coffee mug contained a mixture of Listerine and vodka.

Daggett said police also found a half-full bottle of vodka, an unopened bottle of wine, an unopened whiskey bottle and several cans of soda.

Daggett said Wilder was taken to a holding facility in Ketchum and later released on a $1,000 bond.

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