Snoozing driver gets caught with pot stash

A Zion man chose the wrong spot to pull off the road and take a little nap this weekend, authorities said.

Christopher Romano, 25, face felony marijuana possession charges because police were called after Romano arose from his respite.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Patricia Fix said a clerk at a Grayslake gas station saw what appeared to be an abandoned car parked at the station around 3:20 a.m. Sunday.

When the clerk went to put a tow notice on the car's windshield, Fix said, she saw Romano passed out in the front seat with the keys on his chest.

The clerk told police she rousted Romano and he got out of the car, staggered around a bit, then got back into the car and attempted to drive away.

A male patron stopped Romano from leaving, Fix said, and Grayslake police arrived on the scene a short time later.

Fix said Romano told the officer he had smoked some marijuana, and about one gram of the drug was found in the passenger area of his vehicle.

But as the officer took inventory of the car before having it towed from the station, Fix said, another three ounces of marijuana was found in a bag in the trunk.

Romano was charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver and driving under the influence of drugs.

Fix said he faces up to five years in prison if convicted, and is due to appear in court June 16.