Chesterton resident Edward Lawson told police he drank a pitcher of beer while watching the Super Bowl at a local restaurant.

The problem, Chesterton police said, is that he got behind the wheel of a car after the game.

Lawson, 21, was one of seven people arrested on drunken driving charges in Porter County following Sunday's big game. Police warned the public they were planning to put extra patrols on the road to watch for drunken drivers on Super Bowl Sunday.

"It (the high arrest total) shows there's a need for the patrols and that the patrols are doing their job and catching people," said Michael Grennes, chairman of the Porter County Drunk Driving Task Force.

"There's definitely a need for it and we'll keep doing it as long as it's needed."

The seven drunken driving arrests on Sunday night brought the weekend total to 19, which is 50 percent more than a typical weekend.

Porter County police Lt. Chris Eckert said both of the Sheriff's Department officers who worked the extra patrols made a drunken driving arrest.

"We had more alcohol arrests that night than New Year's Eve," Eckert said.

Grennes said he wasn't aware of any serious crashes on Super Bowl night, so hopefully the extra patrols helped keep the roads safe. He said the next countywide crackdown will be next month for St. Patrick's Day.