A Leesburg man avoided being arrested for DUI but was still charged with habitually driving with a suspended license.
Shortly after noon Friday, a Leesburg police officer responded to the area of U.S. Hwy. 441 after a call came in from a Lake County sheriff’s deputy about an eastbound red Cadillac being driven by a driver who smelled like alcohol. The officer located the vehicle on U.S. Hwy. 441 near College Drive and started following it to examine its driving pattern, according to the police report.
With the officer’s patrol car following, the Cadillac changed lanes within 100 feet of the intersection at Radio Road. The officer conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, 56-year-old Robert Jay McCray, of 633 W. Oak Terrace. McCray gave the officer his Florida ID card and said he was in the process of having his license fixed, the report said.
While speaking with McCray, the officer observed he had watery eyes but there was no odor of alcohol from him or anywhere in the vehicle. Asked about his eyes, McCray said he has a medical issue that causes them to sometimes appear watery. Asked about any previous odor of alcohol, McCray said he doesn’t drink for the same medical reason. He said he would conduct any field sobriety exercise needed, according to the report.
A computer search revealed McCray has five current suspensions, a cancellation, and a revocation for being a habitual traffic violator. McCray also has six prior convictions for driving with a suspended license, the report said.
McCray was arrested and taken to the Lake County Jail, where he was released Friday night on $2,000 bond. He’s scheduled to appear in Lake County Court on Aug. 29.