A 19-year-old driver was arrested for driving under the influence after a pair of run-ins with the same police officer before and after driving his pickup truck into a ditch.
The Ocklawaha man was standing next to his vehicle when he initially encountered a Marion County sheriff’s deputy at a Circle K in Silver Springs, Villages-News reports. He admitted to the officer that he had been drinking. He also said he would leave the truck and get a ride home.
At some point, the man got back into the vehicle and drove off. He crashed the truck in a ditch and fled on foot before being nabbed by the same deputy at a nearby car wash.
The man was arrested after reportedly struggling with field sobriety exercises and refusing to take a breathalyzer test. The deputy also became aware that the man’s driver’s license had already been suspended.
The man was booked in Marion County Jail, charged with DUI and driving while his license suspended. He reportedly was previously arrested last year after failing to appear in court on a cannabis possession charge.
Legal Rights for People Injured in DUI Crashes
Getting behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a reckless decision that can come with fatal consequences. Intoxication slows reaction time and decision-making ability. It also reduces alertness and hand-eye coordination.
More than 400 people are killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents across the state every year, according to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Another 400-plus die in crashes related to drug use, FLHSMV data show.
Anyone who has been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver has the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash. That includes money for medical bills, missed wages during recuperation, property damage and other consequences of the crash.
In the tragic event that a person dies in a DUI or other crash, certain family members similarly can seek to hold responsible those to blame by bringing a wrongful death claim. Florida law allows grieving family members to seek compensation for the loss of the deceased person’s earnings and companionship, as well as for mental anguish and suffering, medical and funeral expenses.
Of course, no amount of money will ever allow you to go back in time and stop an accident from happening. Cash also will never replace a loved one. Compensation can, however, help ease some of the financial burden that often comes with losing a family member.
How a Villages Accident Attorney Can Help
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car or other accident, it is vital to seek the advice of an experienced injury attorney. Villages 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 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.
