Man Charged With DUI After Neighbor Places Call to Deputies

A 57-year-old Paisley, Florida man was charged with DUI Tuesday morning after a neighbor notified deputies that the man was apparently backing his pickup into trees and a fence in his own front yard.

The neighbor claims the man was struggling to get out of his driveway for at least 15 minutes.

A deputy arrived at the man’s home around 10 a.m. and apparently observed the man spinning his tires, unable to get his truck out of a hole that had his vehicle pressed up against a tree in his front yard.

According to a report, one of lenses in the man’s eyeglasses was missing. The deputy noted the man had watery eyes, slurred speech and the smell of alcohol on his breath.

The man allegedly told the deputy he had "less than one pint of vodka this morning."

The man was charged with DUI and taken into custody after apparently failing several field sobriety tests. He was later given a breath test that allegedly registered .242, more than three times the legal limit of .08.

If you have been arrested for a DUI in Florida and your breath test result delivered a reading over .15, it is vital to contact The Villages DUI Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton to discuss ways to fight your DUI case. Under Florida law, individuals with a high blow over .15 can be subject to enhanced DUI punishments. Even if this is your first DUI, you can still face enhanced penalties.

An enhanced first DUI penalty may consist of the following:

• Court Costs
• Probation
• Fines
• Community Service
• DUI School
• Driver’s License Suspension
• Vehicle Impoundment
• Installation of an Ignition Interlock Device in your Vehicle at your Expense

Unfortunately, the impact from a DUI conviction can be long-lasting. Not only will you have a conviction on your record that cannot be expunged, you will likely have to disclose information regarding your arrest to future employers. In addition, your car insurance rates will increase and you will have to spend a considerable amount of your own time and resources on probation fees, court costs and other expenses related to a DUI conviction.

If you have had a high result on a breath test, The Villages DUI Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can assist you by attacking the State’s evidence against you. The breath test instrument used in Florida, the Intoxilyzer 8000, is not always accurate. It is important to be aware that many DUI cases can be won at trial or result in a plea deal with prosecutors to reduce charges.

If you or someone you know is facing enhanced penalties for a DUI in Marion, Lake or Sumter County, contact The Villages DUI Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call 352-369-5334.