EDINBURG, Maine — A New Hampshire man with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit was arrested early Sunday after driving his Hummer north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 95, according to court documents.
Justin Blais, 37, of Portsmouth made his first court appearance Monday on one count each of operating while under the influence of intoxicants, failure to stop for an officer and driving to endanger. Blais entered not guilty pleas.
His next court appearance is set for Aug. 4 in Lincoln District Court.
He was released from the Penobscot County Jail on $1,000 unsecured bail after appearing before Superior Court Justice Ann Murray at the Penobscot Judicial Center in Bangor.
Information about where he had been or where he was driving was not included in court documents.
Blais came to the attention of Maine State Police about 3 a.m. Sunday when a driver reported a vehicle driving north in the southbound lanes of I-95, according to the affidavit signed by Trooper Andrew Peirson.
The trooper, who was driving south in the southbound lanes, encountered Blais at one point but the wayward driver did not stop. Peirson finally found Blais about 3:43 a.m. in Edinburg.
His green Hummer was stopped in the middle of the passing lane of the southbound lanes, with the front end of the vehicle facing the median, the affidavit said.
Blais was arrested about 4:13 a.m. after failing a field sobriety test, and taken to the jail where a breath test was administered. His blood alcohol level was .22 percent, according to the affidavit. The legal limit is .08 percent.
While being interviewed at the jail, Blais allegedly told the trooper he had four previous convictions for drunken driving. He also told Peirson that he was on several drugs for a mental disorder.
If convicted, Blais faces up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $2,000 on the drunken driving charge. On the other charges, he faces up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, if convicted.