A pair of Villages residents were busted for driving golf carts while under the influence at Lake Sumter Landing in a recent one-week stretch.
A 51-year-old Village of Sabal Chase was stopped by police while leaving the popular dining and entertainment area in early February, Villages-News reports. The man’s gray Yamaha golf cart drove off Buena Vista Boulevard onto the elevated grassy shoulder,” according to a Sumter County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
Cops said the man was slurring his speech and struggled to present a valid ID when requested, Villages-News reports. He said he had consumed three beers while playing golf that morning and another four beers later in the day. A search of the golf cart reportedly turned up a “bottle containing beer” and “four empty Flash Point cinnamon bottles that showed that each bottle had a 21 percent alcohol concentration.”
The driver later submitted to breath tests. They reportedly showed his blood alcohol content level in the range of 0.222 to 0.242 percent, roughly three times the legal limit in Florida. He was arrested and charged with DUI, booked at Sumter County Detention Center and released on a $500 bond.
Less than one week later, cops arrested a 65-year-old Village of Collier man on suspicion of DUI in Lake Sumter Landing Market Square.
A police officer initially flashed a light at the man and told him to pull over after he failed to come to a complete stop at the intersection of Canal Street and Old Mill Run, an arrest report states. He continued around the square, however, and later was stopped by another officer behind RedSauce restaurant, according to Villages-News.
The driver, whose eyes were reportedly bloodshot, told the cops that he did not notice the first officer who tried to flag him down.
“He admitted he had consumed ‘three or four beers,’” Villages-News reports. “Asked where he had consumed the beers, he replied “right here.’”
Breath tests reportedly showed the man’s blood alcohol content was in the range of 0.108 and 0.114 percent. He was arrested and charged with DUI, booked at Sumter County Detention Center and released on a $500 bond.
Injured in a DUI Golf Cart Accident? Know Your Rights
Anyone who is injured in a golf cart accident caused by a drunk driver in Florida has the right to seek compensation from the driver, as well as his or her insurer and anyone else responsible for the collision.
The money damages available in Florida golf cart accident cases typically include compensation for medical bills and property damage, along with missed wages and any long-term impact on earning capacity. Additional punitive damages - designed to punish those responsible for the accident - may also be available in cases involving particularly reckless behavior.
In the tragic case that a person is killed in a golf cart accident, his or her loved ones have the right to seek similar compensation for wrongful death.
Speak with a Villages Golf Cart Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a golf cart accident, it is vital to seek the advice of an experienced injury lawyer. Villages golf cart accident attorney Tim Babiarz has been fighting for people and families across the community for more than two decades.
Our office is conveniently located in the Villages. We are also proud to represent clients throughout the area, including in Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield and beyond. Call (352) 205-7559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Villages accident attorney.
