By Jim Clark

A Somerville Police officer was flagged down by a concerned citizen and informed that a man was passed out in a vehicle that had stopped in the travel lane at Paulina St. in the early hours of last Saturday.

The responding officer advised Somerville Control that he observed a man, later identified as Valentini Bonhomme, of Cambridge, passed out inside the vehicle as reported.

After Bonhomme was came to, he reportedly began rummaging through his belongings in an attempt to locate his registration, as was requested by police.

When asked who the car belonged to, Bonhomme reportedly said that it was his. The officers reported that his speech was slurred and his eyes were glassy.

The officers asked Bonhomme where he was headed and he answered by saying that he lives in Cambridge. When again asked where he was headed, he repeated that he lives in Cambridge and that he was going home.

When asked where he was coming from, Bonhomme said he was driving. The officers reported that Bonhomme’s responses to questions were delayed and believed he was under the influence of some substance.

Bonhomme was asked how much he had to drink and he stated he had not been drinking. When asked if he had consumed any drugs, he stated that he had not done so.

As Bonhomme opened the door to step out of the vehicle, the officers spotted a can of beer in the cup rest of the driver’s side door panel.

The officers once again asked Bonhomme if he had been drinking and he again denied it. The officers reported that they could smell an odor consistent with that of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person.

The officers administered a range of field sobriety tests, in which Bonhomme reportedly did not perform well.

Bonhomme was subsequently placed under arrest on a charge of operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor and taken to the police station for booking.