A Leesburg man was arrested for driving under the influence after deputies found pills in his pocket during a traffic stop caused by irregular driving.
A deputy conducted a traffic stop on the driver of a red Toyota Camry, later identified as 29-year-old Gerard Emanuel Colon Colon, because he failed to maintain a single lane on C-470 and County Road 315 around 7:27 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Another deputy arrived on scene and learned the reason for the traffic stop was because Colon’s vehicle ran off the roadway onto the grassy shoulder multiple times as it traveled north on C-470 and CR 315, the report said.
The deputies then approached the vehicle and told Colon the reason for the stop. He was asked to step out of the vehicle due to him having bloodshot, glassy eyes and slowed speech that made it seem like he was under the influence of something, the report said.
At that point, one of the deputies searched Colon because he smelled like marijuana, which he admitted to smoking one hour prior to driving. The deputy instead found a pill bottle containing six white round pills with BAC 123 etched on them in Colon’s right front pocket. These were identified as acetaminophen, also known as butalbital or caffeine, the report said.
The pills, which are prescription only, belonged to someone else. Colon advised they were not his, as well, the report said.
Colon was then asked to participate in field sobriety exercises, which he agreed to do. He showed signs of impairment, including not maintaining the proper positions, stumbling, miscounting and using his arms for balance. As such, the deputies concluded that Colon was under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, the report said.
However, Colon twice refused to take a breath test. He also refused to sign a DUI criminal citation, the report said.
Colon was still arrested on charges of possession of harmful new legend drug without prescription, DUI and resisting officer (refuse to accept/sign citation or post bond). The Puerto Rican native was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center with bond set at $2,000.
