RIVERSIDE – A Lyons man was charged March 6 with driving under the influence of alcohol after Riverside police spotted him driving the wrong way in the northbound lanes of Woodside Road between Park Place and 31st Street.

The incident occurred about 2:48 a.m., when Riverside police observed a 2018 Ford traveling south in the northbound lanes of Woodside Road, according to a Riverside Police Department news release. This is a divided roadway with a grass median between the north and south lanes.

The driver, Bryan Melgoza, 31, of the 7200 block of 38th Place, Lyons, was arrested and charged with two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving in the wrong lane, no insurance, driving with open alcohol and other traffic violations, according to the release.

When the officer approached the vehicle, he immediately could smell a strong odor of alcoholic emitting from Melgoza’s mouth. Melgoza said he was coming from a bar and was trying to get home to Lyons, according to the release.

Melgoza’s wife was in the car and said they had three small children at home and she needed to get home to take care of them. Police were able to facilitate getting her home. There was an adult in the home watching over the children during this incident, police said.

Melgoza was asked to step out of the car and perform standard field sobriety tests. He failed all DUI testing. His blood-alcohol content was .161, police said.

Melgoza told police he had been out drinking at numerous places. He had receipts from three separate bars and had been drinking beer and shots of tequila, according to the release.

“The squad car video shows Mr. Melgoza driving in the wrong lane on a divided roadway and just how dangerous this could have been,” Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said. “The officer had to take evasive moves to get into the opposite lane just to be able to stop the vehicle. I am truly thankful that he nor anyone else were seriously injured or killed. As I have stated many times in the past, please use a ride-share when you know you are going to be drinking and need to get home.”