RESERVE — A man arrested for his fifth D.W.I. is back on the streets after bonding out of jail less than 48 hours after his booking.

A St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop June 12 on the driver of a pickup truck for speeding on I-10 eastbound in Reserve.

During the traffic stop, Sheriff Mike Tregre said the driver identified himself as a law enforcement officer and presented a card issued from the St. Bernard Parish Office of Homeland Security.

“While talking to the driver, the deputy smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage and saw an open beer in the truck,” Tregre said in a release, adding based on the deputy’s observations and the poor results of an administered test, the driver was arrested for D.W.I.

“The driver told the deputy later that he was a retired law enforcement officer,” Tregre said. “The card that he had presented to the deputy during the investigation was issued by St. Bernard Parish and only identified him as a construction contractor who was allowed back in the parish after an evacuation.”

Throughout the D.W.I. investigation and booking process, Tregre said the driver was belligerent toward the deputy, threatened him physically and told the deputy that the deputy would lose his job.

The driver was identified as John Lee, 49, of Geismar.

Sgt. Dane Clement said no physical altercation took place between Lee and the arresting officer.

Lee was booked with D.W.I., operating a vehicle while under suspension for certain prior offenses, possession of alcoholic beverages in a motor vehicle, speeding, simple assault, public intimidation, false impersonation of a peace officer and an outstanding bench warrant for St. John the Baptist Parish.

Authorities said Lee was released June 13 on a $59,500 bond.