SUMMIT COUNTY — A 19-year-old man was recently accused of burglarizing an Arapahoe Basin Ski Area store after allegedly popping open a display case with a bellyful of booze.

After getting caught apparently shoplifting, the man had at first been cooperative with the manager, and the deputy had planned to send the court summons by mail rather than visiting the scene, according to a report from Summit County Sheriff's Office.

But after the manager took the man's ski pass and attempted to get his personal information, the man “became uncooperative and refused to leave the ski area,” according to the report.

The manager said the man “would occasionally curse and scream loudly while waiting for (a Sheriff's deputy) to arrive,” according to the report.

The deputy and a Dillon police officer arrived on scene, where the man was “verbally uncooperative” and wouldn't make eye contact with the deputy. The man said he did open the display case but “had second thoughts” and his “conscious (sic)” told him not to take the merchandise, according to the report.

The manager said he had been at the store when the display case was opened, and someone had yelled: “That guy is ripping you off,” according to the report.

The manager had noticed merchandise hanging out of the display case and told the man — who was running away — to stop running. The man stopped outside and slurred words but denied stealing anything as he spoke with the manager, according to the manager's statement in the report.

After examining the merchandise, the manager said it didn't appear the man had stolen anything. The two went to the guest services building and when the man was told his pass was being taken, he became “very difficult to deal with,” according to the report.

As the man continued refusing to leave, the deputy detected the odor of alcohol on his breath — along with watery eyes and slurred words — and the man gave a voluntary breath sample to a portable breath tester. The result was 0.103 breath alcohol concentration.

The man had admitted to consuming the two beers before the test.

He was arrested and booked on charges of third degree burglary, attempted theft, third degree criminal trespass (for not leaving the A-Basin property when requested to leave) and underage consumption of alcohol.

Out cold

A man found asleep in the driver's seat with the engine running in a Honda Fit after 2 a.m. recently was arrested after being nudged back to consciousness.

A Sheriff's deputy observed the vehicle — at a ski resort's employee housing parking lot — and knocked on the driver's window about four times. The man never acknowledged the deputy, according to the SCSO report.

“I opened the driver's door to check on the safety of (the man). As I nudged (him) with my flashlight he woke up,” according to the report.

The deputy smelled alcohol on the man's breath and his eyes were “bloodshot and watery.” A wooden case containing a “one hitter” used for smoking marijuana was found in the car, according to the report.

The man responded to the deputy's request for his license with “slow movement” and after being asked about three times for insurance and registration, the man appeared confused, according to the report.

After a round of roadside sobriety tests, the man was arrested, taken to the hospital to submit a blood-alcohol sample and booked on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under suspension, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the report.

Robert Allen can be contacted at (970) 668-4628 or rallen@summitdaily.com.