A 27-year-old Orland Park man being transported by police after an arrest for DUI/drugs momentarily thought it was he who was driving the squad car and later thought his dog was behind the wheel, according to an Orland Park police report.
Later, after the man was taken to a hospital, he awoke from his sleep and asked if he could go down "the slide," according to the report.
Police decided the man needed medical attention after determining he "was confused and did not understand where he was" while being questioned about hitting a parked car late Jan. 9 in a residential subdivision southeast of the intersection of 143rd Street and Will-Cook Road, approximately 11 miles from his home.
The man was charged with DUI/drugs, improper lane use and failure to reduce speed/driving too fast for conditions, the report said.
Police transported the man to a hospital around 11 p.m. after discovering a prescription bottle containing 63 of 90 Clonazepam tablets and seven empty Suboxone containers during the crash investigation. Clonazepam is used to treat seizure and panic disorder, and Suboxone is specifically prescribed to treat opiate addiction.
During the ride to the hospital, the man called out from the back of the squad car and said, "Whoa, I thought I was driving, but I'm glad it's you behind the wheel!" He followed up a couple of minutes later with the question, "Why is my dog driving this car?" before falling asleep.
In the hospital's waiting room, he awoke, stood up and asked, "Hey, can I go down the slide,?" according to the Orland Park Police report, which was released Jan. 22.
The man was treated at the hospital and released.
