Man sentenced to three years in prison after he was found drunk, passed out behind the wheel in In-N-Out drive-thru

A Northern California repeat drunk driver has been sentenced to three years behind bars after cops found him passed out behind the wheel in an In-N-Out Burger drive thru line.

Carlos Alvarez, 33, of Salinas, was arrested in June 2025 for driving under the influence.

A security guard at the burger joint located on Kern Street in Salinas alerted the California Highway Patrol to a “possible drunk driver that was asleep at the wheel in the drive through line.”

When officers arrived they found the man in a car that had a “strong pungent odor of urine, vomit, and an alcoholic beverage.”

Because of Alvarez’s prior convictions, he was taken into custody and arrested on a felony DUI charge.

The latest conviction marks not only his seventh DUI conviction for Alvarez, but his fourth felony DUI conviction in the last 10 years.

It is unclear at this time what kind of sentences he faced for his prior felony convictions, or if he served any time behind bars for any of the other DUI sentences.

Multiple agencies were involved in the case including the Monterey County District Attorney’s Vertical DUI Prosecution Unit and the California Highway Patrol.

In January, the unit was awarded nearly $800,000 in state grants for the special group of prosecutors to deal with cases involving impaired drivers from alcohol and drugs, per a county press release.

“We are grateful for this grant, which will allow us to focus specifically on holding individuals accountable for impaired driving and making the roads in our community safer for everyone,” Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said.

“Impaired driving remains a significant danger on our roads, particularly drivers suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of both alcohol and drugs.

“This funding strengthens our commitment to improving road safety and making sure justice is served effectively and efficiently,” she added.

The California Post has reached out to the Monterey County District Attorney’s office for further comment and information.

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