Sleeping driver was drunk, had empty 'Moonshine' bottle, Portage police say

Andres Dilbeck

PORTAGE — Police say an intoxicated driver found asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle in the middle of the road handed an officer a rewards card rather than a driver's license and was found with two empty booze bottles in his pockets, including one labeled "Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine."

The Portage police officer said he was called out at 2:55 a.m. Dec. 20 and found the Ford Explorer stopped eastbound in the middle of County Road 700 North at Willowcreek Road.

The driver, later identified as Andres Dilbeck, 32, of Merrillville, was asleep and appeared confused when awakened by the officer, according to the arrest report.

Dilbeck reportedly told the officer he had consumed a couple of beers at a Merrillville bar. While patting him down, the officer said he found two empty booze bottles in Dilbeck's pockets: the "Tennessee Moonshine" and "Appalachian Sippin Cream."

Dilbeck was found to have a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.120, which is 1½ times the legal limit for drinking and driving.

He was taken to Porter County Jail and faces several charges of operating while intoxicated, including one alleging that he endangered others.