SALISBURY - Authorities are investigating whether a man arrested on his seventh drunken driving charge may have committed more drunken driving offenses in other states.

Stephen F. Cogliano, 41, currently of 33 Pages Lane in Hampton Falls, N.H., and previously of Newburyport, Newbury and Quincy, was arrested Sunday after Salisbury officer Daniel McNeil stopped him for speeding on Bridge Road. At the stop, finding Cogliano nearly incoherent and fumbling in this movements, McNeil took him back to the station in his cruiser. During the short trip, the odor of alcohol coming from Cogliano was so strong it nearly made McNeil ill, he said.

Cogliano is being held without bail in Middleton prison.

When Salisbury police learned Cogliano had a long history of drunken driving, he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, seventh offense. His license had long ago been revoked for habitual drunken driving in Massachusetts, nor did he have a license in New Hampshire, causing Salisbury to also charge Cogliano with driving after license suspension due to DUI.

Records indicated Cogliano was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol numerous times in Massachusetts dating back to 1980 in Quincy, New Bedford, Fall River, Barnstable and Newburyport. Having lost his license for six months each time, he also has several charges and convictions for driving after license suspension.

But, Cogliano kept driving anyway, and he kept driving in states other than Massachusetts. Authorities now believe this may be his ninth offense.

So fearful are law enforcement officials that Cogliano will again drink and drive as he awaits his upcoming trial, the Essex County District Attorney's office petitioned the court to keep him in jail until Jan. 4, when a "dangerousness hearing" will determine if he'll be allowed bail and released until his trial on the new charges. When Judge Allen Swan heard that Cogliano had five convictions for DUI in Massachusetts and possibly others in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Virginia, he locked him up without bail until at least Jan. 4.

If the DA's office can make their case that Cogliano is too dangerous to the public he will be held in jail until the trial.

According to evidence presented at court, Cogliano was convicted of driving under the influence in 1986, 1987, twice in 1991 and once in 2002. The 2002 conviction stemmed from a DUI fourth offense charge brought by Newburyport police for a June 2001 incident, while Cogliano was living at 22 Purchase St. in Newburyport.

The 2002 conviction brought two years in the house of correction and a 10-year loss of license. According to court documents, Cogliano attempted to have his sentence reduced while he was in jail, but the motion was denied.

"The Registry of Motor Vehicles did what they were suppose to do with him," said Salisbury police Chief David L'Esperance. "They took away his license because he kept drinking and driving. He just wouldn't stop driving. The registry can't follow him around all day."

If convicted of the recent Salisbury charges, Cogliano could receive a sentence of 21/2 to five years in prison and the permanent loss of his license.