A homeless Leesburg man was arrested Wednesday for driving while his license was revoked for drunk driving.
James Eric Michaels, 51, was spotted driving a beige Buick down Orange Avenue, according to an arrest report from the Eustis Police Department.
The officer ran the Illinois license plate and learned the registration expired in October 2021. A traffic stop was initiated at Orange Avenue and Oak Court. The officer spoke to Michaels and his passenger and advised them of the reason for the traffic stop, the report said.
When asked for his driver’s license, Michaels stated he did not have it in his possession but that his license was out of the state of Florida, the report said.
The report stated that the officer asked his partner to deploy a K-9 to conduct an open-air sniff around the outside of the vehicle. The K-9 positively alerted the officers, giving them probable cause to search the inside of the vehicle.
At this point, Michaels and his passenger were asked to step out of the vehicle
A check revealed that Michaels’ license is suspended. In November 2017, Michaels’ license was canceled indefinitely for failure to complete substance abuse treatment. His license was revoked for driving under the influence in March 2020, and he was not granted a hardship license. His license was again canceled indefinitely in December 2022.
The officer arrested Michaels and transported him from the scene to the Lake County Jail for booking. The Ohio native was charged with driving while license revoked for DUI. Bond was set at $10,000.
