A Leesburg man with seven prior arrests and numerous license suspensions was arrested after he was pulled over in Tavares for driving erratically.
Christopher Brandon Courchene, 33, of 2947 Poplar Ave., was charged with knowingly driving with a license suspended due to DUI. A records search showed Courchene has been arrested five other times for driving with a suspended license, once for DUI and another time for contempt of court. His driver’s license has been suspended 13 times since 2010.
A Tavares Police officer observed a gray Ford SUV traveling west on State Road 500 near Lakeshore Boulevard in Tavares. The vehicle swerved from the far-right lane, over the fog lane and about halfway into the center lane multiple times, according to the police report.
The vehicle then started traveling at a high speed, with the officer pacing him at 78 mph in a 50-mph zone. During this time, the driver – later identified as Courchene – approached a group of vehicles that were occupying all three lanes. He then made a lane change from the right lane, into the center lane, to pass one of the vehicles and then back into the right line. These maneuvers were made while Courchene was traveling at a high speed and in a careless manner, the report said.
The officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of State Road 500 and County Road 473. Courchene gave the officer his Florida Identification Card. He was unable to provide any other documents, including his registration and insurance information, according to the report.
Courchene was taken to the Lake County Jail, where he was held on $10,000 bond. He is slated to appear in Lake County Court on April 5.
