Suspected drunk driver stopped on way back from his birthday party

A Bradenton was arrested for alleged drunk driving in Fruitland Park on the way back from his birthday party.

A K-9 officer stopped the driver of a white Chevrolet passenger car, later identified as 45-year-old Christopher Allen Dixon, for a speeding violation around 8:48 p.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department. Prior to turning on his emergency lights, the officer saw the vehicle swerving into other lanes and nearly hitting the curb near U.S. Highway 27/441 and Palm Street. 

The officer then spoke to Dixon and explained the reason for the stop. While another officer finished a written warning, the K9 officer deployed his certified narcotics detection K9 to conduct a free-air sniff of the vehicle. A positive alert gave officers probable cause to search the vehicle, the report said. 

While removing the occupants from the vehicle, one of the officers smelled the distinct odor of alcoholic beverages coming from them. He could not pinpoint it to either Dixon or the unidentified passenger due to heavy wind. However, he observed a small Pink Whitney alcoholic beverage in the center console area during the search, the report said. 

After completing the search, the K9 officer grew concerned that Dixon may be impaired. The other officer talked to Dixon and noticed an odor of alcohol on his breath that got stronger when he spoke. He also observed his speech to slurred, and his eyes were watery. The report noted that at the beginning of the traffic stop, Dixon was incredibly verbally abusive to law enforcement and had since become very friendly. 

The officer asked Dixon where he had come from, to which he replied he was celebrating his birthday at his daughter’s residence. He also admitted to drinking alcohol. Due to this and observations made by the officers, he was asked to participate in field sobriety exercises, the report said. 

Dixon’s performance during the exercises led the officers to conclude that he was driving under the influence. He later refused to take a breath test to confirm or deny if this was the case, the report said. 

Dixon was ultimately arrested on charges of DUI and driving while license suspended/cancelled/revoked (third or subsequent arrest). He was transported to the Lake County Jail with bond set at $3,000.