LYNN – A Revere man was allegedly caught driving drunk for the fourth time on Saturday morning, after police found him sitting in his car in the middle of the Lynnway.Robert D. Mendoza, 48, of 27A Philomena Ave., was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and marked lanes violation. He was arraigned Monday at Lynn District Court by Judge Albert Conlon and released on personal recognizance under the conditions that he abide by a 7 p.m. curfew, report to parole once a week, remain drug and alcohol free, submit to random screenings and not possess a firearm or dangerous weapon. A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for March 10.According to court records, police responded to a report of a car stopped on the northbound side of the Lynnway around 4 a.m. As the officer pulled up behind the car, the driver, Mendoza, allegedly began to drive away and in the process, swerved from the left lane to the middle and back to the left again, while almost hitting the median.Continuing at a speed of about 20 mph, Mendoza began swerving again, so the officer pulled him over in the middle lane near the intersection of Marine Boulevard. When the officer walked over to the car, he said he immediately smelled a strong stench of alcohol and could see that Mendoza’s eyes were allegedly bloodshot and glassy and that his speech was slurred.After slowly pulling out his driver’s license for the officer, he tried to perform a field sobriety test, but ended up having to be held up by the officer because he kept losing his balance. At that point, Mendoza was arrested and taken to the station for booking.Based on his three prior arrests for operating under the influence, Mendoza’s license was taken away. He refused to perform a Breathalyzer test. However, a chemical test revealed a 0.155 percent blood alcohol level, nearly two times the legal limit.
