NORTHAMPTON — A Chicopee man, naked behind the wheel of a car, denied he was intoxicated and driving at speeds topping 100 mph after being stopped by a Massachusetts state trooper Tuesday.

Alexander Shanwenda, 24, pleaded not guilty in Northampton District Court Wednesday to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. He also denied civil infractions of speeding and a marked lanes violation.

Shanwenda was arrested in Northampton near Interstate 91’s exit 21. Police were first notified around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday of a black Ford pickup driving erratically on I-91 in Whately. The caller told police the truck was speeding and passing cars in the breakdown lane, according to a report written by trooper Michael Tucker.

On patrol in the area, Tucker wrote that he saw the truck traveling at speeds in the 90 to 105 mph range. At one point, the Ford was traveling approximately 105 mph in a 45 mph construction zone, according to Tucker’s report.

Police were able to catch up with the Ford due to traffic and Tucker turned on his lights for the driver of the truck to pull over. When Tucker approached the truck, he saw that the driver, later identified as Shanwenda was completely nude except for a pair of work pants draped over his lap, according to the report.

While questioning Shanwenda about his driving and lack of clothes, Tucker wrote that he could detect a strong smell of alcohol and saw two six packs of beer and an empty bottle in the truck.

Shanwenda failed multiple field sobriety tests and was found to have a 0.17 percent blood alcohol content, according to Tucker. The legal limit is 0.08 percent. The truck was later towed and searched.

Following his arraignment, Shanwenda was released on personal recognizance. A defense attorney for Shanwenda was not listed in court documents.

Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.

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