Saying you’re not drunk doesn’t magically make you not drunk

Isn’t it ironic? A Portland man with a “Not Drunk, Avoiding Potholes” car sticker on his Jetta was arrested on Saturday for driving drunk and backing into a patrol car during a traffic stop.

Just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, a deputy saw a red Volkswagen Jetta that was coming up behind him and speeding. The deputy pulled over the Jetta and when he started approaching the car, he called out to the driver to turn off his car.

Instead, the driver didn’t respond and rolled his car backward about 25 feet, only stopping when it hit the front of the deputy’s patrol car.

When asked why he backed his car into the patrol car, the driver, Jeffery Dewayne Cannon, 41, said “I didn’t know that happened.”

The deputy could reportedly smell an alcoholic odor coming from inside of the car and saw an open can of Busch Light in Cannon’s cupholder. Cannon admitted to having a concealed pistol — a loaded Glock handgun — in the car and, after searching the Jetta, the deputy found several empty beer cans and a baggie in the center console that allegedly contained cocaine. 

According to the sheriff’s office, Cannon explained that he planned to have a party with a friend this weekend. The sheriff’s office discovered Cannon was a convicted felon and his driver’s license had been suspended.

Deputies said Cannon rated himself as a 4 on a scale of 1-10 measuring how intoxicated he was. His breath sample later measured .22% blood alcohol concentration.

Cannon was arrested and is facing several charges, including felony possession of a firearm, DUI, and possession of a controlled substance.

Cannon’s bail was set at $15,000.