The finance manager at a Leesburg car dealership has been sentenced in the wake of a drunk driving arrest.
Jason Lee Barto, 46, of Fruitland Park, who works at Jenkins Hyundai in Leesburg, offered a plea of no contest last week in Lake County Court to a lesser charge of failure to obey a police officer. He originally had been arrested on a charge of driving under the influence. He has been placed on probation for six months, must seek an alcohol evaluation and follow recommended treatment and refrain from the consumption of alcohol. In addition, he was ordered to perform 25 hours or community service, but was given the option of “buying out” at a rate of $10 per hour.
Barto had been driving a gray Ford pickup at about 10:30 p.m. Feb. 26 when he was caught on radar traveling at 70 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone while passing two vehicles in a no-passing zone, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department.
During a traffic stop, an officer suspected Barto was possibly driving drunk. Barto denied he had been drinking. Barto refused to participate in field sobriety exercises and refused to provide a breath sample.
