A Leesburg man was arrested for suspected drunk driving after crashing into two parked cars all while driving with several open beers in the backseat.
Officers responded to a motor vehicle accident, later found to involve 37-year-old Fernando Tapia Aguilar, at the residential address of 911 Flamingo Drive around 10:59 p.m. Saturday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
Upon arrival, officers observed a gray 2000 Dodge pickup with significant, disabling front-end damage resting next to a white 2014 Ford pickup with significant, disabling damage to the driver’s side and front right side. This was beside a red 2019 Volkswagen sedan with moderate damage to the rear left side and passenger side, the report said.
As two of the officers approached the vehicle, they saw Aguilar in the driver’s seat. They immediately noticed the smell of an alcoholic beverage coming from him as well as his glassy eyes and slurred speech, the report said.
Aguilar got out of the vehicle shortly after seeing the officers, falling into the open driver’s door in the process. The officers asked him to walk toward them to investigate the incident, but he stumbled several times and almost fell. As a result, they began escorting him away from the vehicle, the report said.
However, Aguilar began to pull away from the officers, so they immediately handcuffed him without further incident. He stated his name to medical personnel on the scene which was used to confirm his identity. Although he did not complain of any injury or pain, he was taken by Lake EMS to UF Health Leesburg Hospital for medical clearance. An officer followed the ambulance to the hospital, the report said.
While at the hospital, an officer assisted medical staff in gathering information for Aguilar by translating. During this line of medical-related questioning, Aguilar advised that an unidentified vehicle drove in front of him, causing him to swerve and collide with the other vehicles. He also stated he did not have a driver’s license, the report said.
Officers who were still at the scene of the crash completed a vehicle inventoy before turning it over to be towed. They found about five open containers of Modelo beer, still visibly perspiring and cold to the touch, in the vehicle’s backseat. Additionally, several unopened containers of Modelo beer, still cold to the touch, were found in the vehicle, the report said.
After completing the on-scene traffic crash investigation, a driver’s exchange of information was issued to Aguilar and explained by a translating officer. He was then asked to submit a breath sample, which he agreed to do. The first sample was a non-reliable 0.158g/210L due to a “volume not met” error, and the second sample was aborted because Aguilar was physically incapable of giving an adequate sample due to his injuries from the crash, the report said.
Aguilar was also offered a voluntary blood draw, which he refused. Even so, medical staff notified an officer that Aguilar’s blood-alcohol level exceeded the legal limit. An investigative subpoena was to be completed for his medical records from the day of the incident to the hospital as a result, the report said.
Due to Aguilar’s inability to walk unassisted and apparent injuries sustained from the crash, no field sobreity exercises were conducted, the report said.
A criminal history check showed no convictions for DUI or driving with a suspended license, however a check of Aguilar’s driving history revealed two suspensions for failure to pay back in June 2017, the report said.
The native of Mexico was subsequently charged with DUI (accident/property damage), operating motor vehicle without driver’s license and driving while license suspended/revoked with knowledge. Once he was medically discharged, he was transported to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,000 bond.
