Police in Sugar Land, Texas say Adrian Peterson fessed up to throwing back shots of a vodka mix at a poker game early Sunday morning ... just hours before he was arrested for DWI.

The officer alleged in the docs he encountered Peterson asleep at the wheel of a running black Mercedes SUV that was next to some pumps ... and he claimed once he woke up the unconscious ex-Minnesota Vikings star,

Police say the former MVP was found asleep in his running SUV at a Houston-area gas station and admitted to drinking before driving

Former NFL running back Adrian Peterson was caught sleeping at the wheel of a running car before his arrest this week.

El ex corredor de la NFL Adrian Peterson permaneció encarcelado el lunes después de ser arrestado un día antes en un suburbio de Houston bajo cargos de conducir en estado de ebriedad y portar un arma de manera ilegal,