Man Faces His Eighth Drunken Driving Conviction

A Brecksville man faces his eighth conviction for drunken driving after he was arrested by police Thursday in Mentor.

At about 10:30 p.m., Mentor-on-the-Lake police were called about a man driving erratically in a red truck, Mentor Police Lt. Ken Zbiegien said.

The truck was found parked partially on a lawn in the 6100 block of Cedarwood Road, Zbiegien said. Because the truck was in Mentor, Mentor police were called.

The driver, 53-year-old Richard Brichacek, stumbled as he got out of the truck, Zbiegien said. He also had glassy eyes and smelled of alcohol, the lieutenant said.

Brichacek refused to use a breathalyzer or take any field sobriety tests so he was arrested and charged with driving while drunk.

He has seven previous drunken driving convictions, Zbiegien said, the most recent of which was in February of this year.

He was also charged with failing to reinstate his driver's license.

Brichacek was arraigned Friday in . Visiting Judge Paul Mitrovich set his bond at $20,000, which was not posted.

Brichacek's next court hearing is scheduled for July 5.