DUI Issued for Florida Man Who Only Drank at Stop Signs

Towards the end of June, on the 27th, police working within Indian County town of Vero Beach were notified by an alarmed motorist regarding another driver who seemed to be operating their car in an unsafe manner.  According to the caller, they were trying to get through a drive-thru at a McDonalds when another vehicle pulled up behind them.  During the path from the ordering station to the pickup window, the caller told police that the car behind her repeatedly ran into the back of her vehicle, and while it did not appear that there was any damage done to either car, the continued occurrence of this incident made the front driver understandably concerned.

Deputies with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and reached the location of the McDonalds while both drivers were still in the parking lot.  Upon approaching the car which had repeatedly bumped the other, officers noticed that a completely empty bottle of Jim Beam lay on the passenger seat.

The deputies further noted that the driver’s eyes were bloodshot and that the man smelled strongly of alcohol.  In addition to all of this, the driver did not possess current or valid driver’s license.

When questioned by the officers, the driver of the car told them that, yes, he had been drinking throughout the day, but he hastened to add that he only consumed the alcohol at stop signs or at other points while not moving, and that he was careful to never drink while the car was actually in motion.

While the restraint shown by this man might be considered admirable by some, the deputies with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office felt differently and immediately conducted field sobriety tests.  Additionally, he was given a breathalyzer test which showed that his BAC hung somewhere between 0.153 and 0.147, both of which are almost two times the legal driving limit.

The individual was then arrested and issued a DUI.  He also faces charges of driving without a valid license.  Deputies with the Indian River Sheriff’s Office also included in their report the fact that this person holds two prior DUIs, both of which were issued by courts in Missouri.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.