Al Unser Jr. arrested for DWI

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - According to a police booking report, Al Unser Jr, a retired American race car driver and two time Indianapolis 500 winner, was arrested early Thursday morning.

Around 3 a.m. , officials say Unser, 49, was in his white 2011 Chevrolet Suburban and racing another car going westbound on Paseo del Norte in Albuquerque. Deputies say they clocked both vehicles on radar going over 100 miles per hour. The posted speed limit in that particular stretch is around 60 mph.

The report states the vehicles were traveling so fast and weaved at the last minute across lanes near the Coors off ramp, the other cars had to slam on their brakes.

Officers were able to pull Unser over at 9300 Coors Boulevard just north of the off ramp, where they towed his car. Deputies say the black sedan took off going north on Coors. According to the incident report, Unser told the deputies he was racing the other car at the time and said to deputies quote "you caught the slower driver."

Deputies say they smelled a strong odor of alcohol on Unser's breath. He submitted to a field sobriety test which he failed. He submitted to a breathalizer test which returned a .16.

He has been charged with reckless driving, aggravated DWI and racing upon a highway. Unser was released from jail on his own recognizance.

This is not the only time Unser has had problems with alcohol.

In 2007, he pleaded no contest to a driving under the influence charge stemming from a January 2007 crash on a Nevada freeway. Nevada authorities said Unser's blood-alcohol content was three times the legal limit and he failed field sobriety tests. As part of the plea deal, Unser lost his driver's license for 90 days, was fined $1,000 and had to attend a drunken driving school, a victim-impact panel and undergo alcohol abuse evaluation.

His lawyer at the time said Unser had stopped drinking and was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Unser also performed more than 100 hours of community service on alcohol treatment-related causes.

In 2002, Unser also underwent treatment for alcohol abuse after his girlfriend said he hit her in the face while he was drunk in Indianapolis. Prosecutors did not file charges.

Unser is a member of the famous Albuquerque Unser racing family. His father Al Unser Sr. won back-to-back wins at the Indianapolis 500 in 1970 and 1971. He also took the checkered flag at Indy in 1978 and 1987.

His uncle Bobby won at Indianapolis in 1968, 1975 and 1981. Al Unser Jr. himself won the Indy 500 in 1992 and 1994.