SPRINGFIELD - Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey Wednesday ordered Patrick Johnson, 51, of Vernon, Vt., held in jail after a blood alcohol test indicated the man was too drunk to enter a plea on his drunk driving charge.

The judge ordered the Probation Department to do a blood alcohol test on Johnson when the defendant said he had drunk 6 ounces of vodka at 5 a.m.

After the results came back as .28, more than three times the legal limit, Carey ordered Johnson be held in jail and come back to plead guilty to operating under the influence - third offense - on March 18.

Johnson was prepared to plead guilty to the crime which happened in Holyoke. He was free on bail until Wednesday.

When a plea is taken judges ask if the defendant has had drugs or alcohol within the last 24 hours. Defense lawyer Marissa Elkins told Carey that Johnson wanted him to know he had a drink at 5 a.m.

"Mr. Johnson, simply put, is an alcoholic," Elkins said. She said throughout the time she has known him he has struggled with alcohol abuse.

Elkins said Johnson told her given the amount he drinks on a regular basis, he feels he understands what's going on and is clear-headed enough to plead guilty.

Johnson, she said, is "as clear-headed as I have known him to be. Quite frankly it would be quite difficult to get him in here and do a plea where he hasn't had a drink in the last 24 hours."

That was when Carey asked Johnson what he had to drink, and hearing 6 ounces of vodka at 5 a.m., ordered the blood alcohol test.