A Leesburg man with two prior DUI convictions was charged with it again Saturday night after he allegedly drove his SUV into the rear of a disabled vehicle on U.S. Hwy. 27 near County Road 33.
Thomas Joseph Griffin, 60, of 5512 King James Ave., was charged with DUI (third violation within 10 years), DUI with property damage, and refusal to submit to a DUI test after previously having his license suspended.
The accident investigation conducted by Leesburg Police determined that a black 2003 Jeep Liberty became disabled in the southbound outside travel lane on Highway 27. The vehicle’s hazard lights were activated and the driver was standing on the side of the road, calling AAA, when Griffin’s 2016 Toyota 4Runner rear-ended it. The force of the collision caused the disabled vehicle to roll into a ditch, according to the police report.
The police officer conducting the DUI investigation observed that Griffin used his vehicle for balance as he got out of it, and he appeared unsteady on his feet as he walked to the patrol car. There was a strong odor of alcohol emitting from Griffin’s breath. His eyes were glassy and watery, and his speech was slurred, the report said.
After being read his Miranda warning, Griffin said he would not answer any investigative questions. He declined to participate in standardized field sobriety exercises and was placed under arrest. At the police station, Griffin spontaneously said he had a drink and that he took his mother out for her birthday and then he went out and bought … at which time he stopped speaking, according to the report.
An inventory search of Griffin’s vehicle prior to it being towed turned up two unopened vodka nips. Griffin refused to provide breath samples for analysis, the report said.
A criminal records search revealed that Griffin was convicted of driving under the influence – second offense – in January 2013 and that he had a prior suspension for refusal to submit to a DUI test. He was taken to the Lake County Jail, where he was released Sunday on $7,000 bond. Griffin will answer to the DUI charge in Lake County Court on April 12.
