Stonington -- Police charged a Warwick, R.I., man with driving under the influence early Sunday morning after they found him inside a closed convenience store on Route 2 in Pawcatuck trying to pay for coffee and cigarettes.

Aaron B. Ellison, 51, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was later released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court July 25.

According to police, officers responded to a burglar alarm at the Henny Penny store at 2:48 a.m. and found one of the doors had apparently been left open. When they checked the inside they found Ellison at the cash register trying to buy the items but there were no employees in the store and it was closed.

Police said that as they escorted Ellison out of the store to his car, he was having trouble standing and they determined a strong odor of alcohol on him.

Police said Ellis admitted to driving to the convenience store and that was confirmed by store surveillance video.

In their report, police said there was no damage to the store but “it appeared (Ellison) was so intoxicated that he entered the business not knowing it was closed.”