A Leesburg man was arrested for DUI after admitting to taking “meth” the day before an accident that hospitalized the other driver.
Officers responded to a vehicle accident near North 14th Street and West Main Street around 8:49 a.m. Jan. 14, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
Once there, the officers found an involved vehicle with 30-year-old Cecil Robert-Paul Silvers in the driver’s seat. They asked if he was injured, and he said he was not. EMS still conducted an evaluation and informed the officers that Silvers was under the influence, the report said.
The officers then requested a wrecker using rotation to remove the vehicle from the roadway. Upon their arrival, Silvers was asked to get out of the vehicle so it could be moved from the middle of the intersection due to the traffic volume and for the safety of Silvers and the officers. Silvers initially refused to exit the vehicle at the request of the tow truck driver and officers, the report said.
After a series of requests and orders, Silvers got out and walked southbound toward a nearby Vape Shop, located at 107 N. 14th St. The officers watched him walk with very unsteady poor coordination. They made contact with him as he entered the store, informing him he was not free to leave the scene because it was an active investigation, the report said.
The report noted the other party involved in the accident was taken to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, located at 600 E. Dixie Ave., for their injuries. A public service aid completed a crash investigation prior to another officer arriving on scene.
The officer met with Silvers, began asking about the events and ensured he did not need EMS. Throughout the questioning, Silvers had extremely dilated pupils and was difficult to understand through his low, slurred and mumbled speech. The possibility of impairment led the officer to ask if Silvers would participate in field sobriety exercises, to which he agreed, the report said.
Silvers’ performance included losing his balance, swaying and unsteadiness. Soon after, he was read his rights and admitted to taking “meth” the day before. He believed he took it in the morning at an unknown time, the report said.
Silvers later provided breath samples of 0.000g/210L and a urine sample. A drug recognition expert was contacted and determined there were signs of impairment, the report said.
The Indiana native was ultimately arrested on charge of DUI (accident/property damage or minor injury). He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,000 bond.
Silvers was also arrested in Aug. 2021 after allegedly trying to steal an A/C unit and a box of Legos.