A Hamilton man was caught swerving all over the road with a pile of empty beer bottles in his car on Sunday, police say.

Around 7:25 a.m., a police officer saw a car swerving in its lane going north on Sherman Avenue North. As the car approached Barton Street East, it signalled to turn left but instead turned right, police say.

Officers tried to stop the vehicle, but it took several blocks before the driver realized he was being chased and stopped the car.

When officers approached the vehicle, they saw empty beer bottles in the backseat and crammed in between the driver seat and the passenger seat in the front. The driver showed "obvious signs of impairment" when speaking, police say.

The driver was taken to police headquarters for a breathalyzer test.

A 51-year-old Hamilton man was released on a promise to appear on impaired driving charges.