Lake County man arrested on DUI after hitting stop sign

A Paisley man was arrested for driving under the influence after hitting a stop sign and fleeing the scene.  

Police responded to a hit and run at a stop sign on the corner of County Road 412 and 412B in Lake Panasoffkee at about 3:10 p.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The complainant and witness stated they observed 50-year-old Clifford William Guyett hit the stop sign in a white pickup truck before driving away from the damage.  

Deputies searched the area and spotted Guyett leaving AA Discount Beverage on 2854 North County Road 470 south of the original crash site. He was stopped by an officer and removed from his truck before he could leave, the report said. 

At that point, deputies noticed Guyett showing indicators of impairment. He was informed that the crash investigation concluded after finding him at fault, and a DUI investigation was underway, the report said. 

The deputy observed Guyett to have glossy, watery eyes with the pupils appearing to be constricted. His speech was slurred and slow. He had trouble staying focused and answering questions as he would lose track of the conversation and pause suddenly. He looked very disheveled and dirty, with a musty urine odor coming from his person. The deputy could also smell alcohol on his breath especially when he spoke, the report said. 

Guyett was then asked to participate in field sobriety exercises, the report said. He had trouble listening and was very unsteady on his feet to the point he could not stand up on his own. The deputies had him continue the exercises sitting down or with modified versions. Despite these changes, Guyett’s performance still led the deputy to conclude he was driving under the influence of a possible depressant, CNS depressant or a dissociative depressant.  

Guyett later provided two breath samples resulting in 0.00 but refused to provide a urine sample, the report said. 

A check revealed Guyett had one previous arrest for DUI from April 2008, the report said. 

Guyett was ultimately arrested on charges of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and DUI. He was transported to the Sumter County Jail with bond set at $1,000.