Man in breathalyzer Halloween costume arrested during DWI patrol

ALBANY -- Police in Albany County arrested 25 people for driving drunk this past weekend during a blanket DWI patrol, including one man dressed in a breathalyzer Halloween costume.

The man, who had left a house party in the costume, refused to take a breathalyzer exam after he was arrested, said police.

Twenty-four-year-old Theodore Piel of Colonie was pulled over just after 1 a.m. at Central Ave. and Tull Dr. for speeding, following too closely and driving an unregistered motor vehicle. 

The police officers who pulled him over noted Piel had glassy eyes and detected a strong odor of alcohol, said Lt. Winn.

Piel failed the field sobriety test, and was brought to the police station for booking.

He refused to take the breathalyzer test at the police station, said Lt. Winn. While Piel was cuffed next to a police officer at a desk, Piel reached over and deleted the report the officer was filling out.

Piel was consequently charged with obstructing government administration and with unlawful use of a computer. 

In total, 1,518 traffic stops were made during the blanket patrol. Eleven municipal police departments, the county sheriff's department and the New York State Police participated in the patrol. 

The average blood alcohol content level for the DWI arrests was .148 percent. The legal limit is .08 percent.