Cops: Darien Man, 24, Driving Under Influence, Hits Tree

A 24-year-old Darien man was intoxicated when the Jeep Cherokee he was driving ran over a street sign at 4:14 a.m. on Thursday, then hit a tree, Darien police said.

Police said Peter J. Conley of Leroy Avenue was unconscious when they found him behind the wheel of the still-running 2011 Jeep just off of Leroy Avenue near its intersection with Shadbush Lane, but he had no visible injuries from the crash.

Darien police gave this account (an accusation not proven in court) of the incident:

When an officer shined a flashlight in Conley's face, the driver woke up and opened the driver's side door.

Conley, who has a Florida driver's license, had recently moved to Darien to help care for a relative.

Conley initially said he hadn't been drinking that night, but the officer smelled alcohol on him. Conley failed field sobriety tests and refused other tests.

Conley was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and making an improper turn. He was held overnight in lieu of paying a $250 bond and was taken to state Superior Court in Stamford later that day, Nov. 21. He is next scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 12, according to the Connecticut Judicial Branch website.