THE DALLES, OR (KPTV) -
A man accused of drinking beer in the passenger seat while his 10-year-old son drove his SUV pleaded guilty to DUII.
Jose Torres entered his plea Wednesday, while also pleading guilty to criminal mistreatment.
As part of his sentence, Torres received a lifetime driving suspension.
He was arrested in May 2012 in The Dalles after police pulled over his SUV at 10:45 a.m. Officers said the SUV's hazard lights were on, it wasn't staying in its lane and kept stopping in the road.
Investigators said that's because Torres' 10-year-old son was driving, while Torres steered the SUV from the passenger seat.
The trooper at the scene said he saw an open beer can at the suspect's feet and several other empty cans in the back.
Prior to his arrest, police said, Torres called his wife to come pick up their son. When his wife arrived, the trooper learned she also did not have a valid driver's license and cited her for a traffic violation.
Eventually, the couple's friends showed up to pick up the wife and son.
Torres was sentenced to 90 days in jail. Up to 70 days could be served on a work crew or through inpatient treatment.
He will also face two years supervised probation.
Court records show his blood-alcohol level came back at .21, more than twice the legal limit, and Torres also had at least four previous DUII arrests in California.
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Jose Torres
Photo: Oregon State Police
