A Leesburg man was arrested for DUI when he was stopped by state troopers for speeding and driving outside his lane.
A trooper responded to U.S. Highway 27 and Cagan Crossings Boulevard to assist with a traffic stop around 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Florida Highway Patrol.
Upon arrival, the trooper was advised that a traffic stop had been conducted on the driver of a silver Buick sedan, later identified as 27-year-old Luis Atonio Avila Hernandez. Another trooper also responded to assist with translation. The trooper who originally made the stop explained that he pulled over the sedan for excessive speed and failing to maintain a single lane, the report said.
One of the assisting troopers then met with Avila Hernandez who was instructed to get out of his vehicle and move to an empty parking lot on the west side of the road. The trooper noticed his eyes were bloodshot and glossy, and he could smell the odor of alcohol coming from his breath. As a result, the trooper took control of the investigation and asked questions while another translated, the report said.
Avila Hernandez was asked if he would consent to field sobriety exercises due to signs of impairment, and he agreed. His performance, which included not following instructions and doing several exercises improperly, led the trooper to conclude he was under the influence. He later provided breath samples of 0.145 and 0.143, the report said.
The native of Mexico was ultimately arrested on charge of DUI and issued a criminal citation for criminal speed. He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $1,000 bond.