(La Porte County, IN) - A driver, after nearly colliding with a police vehicle outside La Porte, was arrested for being highly impaired.

Marcus Duke, 51, of Chicago has been charged with Class A misdemeanor Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated.

According to La Porte County Police, a sheriff’s deputy traveling on Indiana 39 early Friday had to veer to his right so as to avoid a collision with an oncoming car veering over the center line near Severs Road.

During a traffic stop, the officer allegedly detected the odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath in addition to spotting an alcoholic beverage container in the passenger seat.

Duke reportedly admitted to drinking vodka at a relative’s house in La Porte but cited his use of a cell phone for his erratic driving.

Police said Duke was arrested with an alleged blood alcohol slightly more than three times the .08 percent legal limit.