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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI) - A St. Louis man faces time in prison, after he passed out in his car at a south St. Louis County gas station. The car was parked between two gas pumps, for at least 30 minutes, and customers took notice.

When employees at the Tesson Ferry Road Petro-Mart walked out to check on the driver, they discovered 28 year-old Mitchell Schwartz, fast asleep with the seat leaning back, with beer cases scattered throughout the car.

A witness says Schwartz even used an empty beer case as a pillow. The headlights were on, and the engine was running. Petro-Mart employees quickly called police.

When law enforcement arrived, they tried to wake him up, first, with the standard knocking on his window. Then, they shined a spotlight and then flashlights on him. They even blared their sirens. Schwartz remained passed out.

Ultimately, police broke the passenger window, and he finally stirred. Police say Schwartz denied drinking, yet had an open beer can between his legs, and another in the center console.

He was slurring his speech and fell several times. It was so bad, they didn’t even have him perform a field sobriety test, fearing his own safety.

St. Louis County Police Officer Brian Schellman explains, “We’re never just going to leave that scene. We can’t have somebody that appears to be this intoxicated, if we leave the scene, then drive off and kill himself, or some innocent person.”

Schwartz is now charged with Driving While Intoxicated Persistent Offender, a Class D Felony. Within the past 10 years, Schwartz has pled guilty to two other DWI’s.

This time, Schwartz refused a Breathalyzer, so it will remain a mystery how much alcohol was in his system that led to those extreme efforts to wake him up.