A Leesburg man was arrested for driving under the influence after fleeing from a three-vehicle crash with open bottles of Bud Light in his truck.
Deputies responded to a hit-and-run crash with injuries, later found to involve 54-year-old Paul Samuel Molisee, in the area of County Road 44 and Leesburg Mobile City Road in Leesburg around 5:05 p.m. Friday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement learned that three vehicles crashed, including a black Ram truck, a silver Chrysler and a red two-door Honda. The truck had already left the scene, but one of the drivers managed to take a picture of the tag and Molisee as it fled. A witness added that Molisee appeared intoxicated, the report said.
Lake County Fire Rescue then responded to transport a juvenile to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, located at 600 E Dixie Ave., Leesburg, for medical treatment. Meanwhile, dispatch advised that Molisee lived on North Treasure Island Avenue, just a short distance from the crash. A pair of deputies made their way to the address and could see a truck, the report said.
While on the property, they saw Molisee enter the home from the screened porch. They commanded him to come out and talk, to which he complied. His breath smelled strongly of alcohol when he spoke, and his speech was slow, muffled and incomprehensible at times, the report said.
The report noted his truck had front-end damage with red paint transfer on the bumper. This was consistent with the damage done at the crash scene. Additionally, the driver’s window was open, revealing two open Bud Light beer bottles in the center console cup holders.
As the deputies tried to identify Molisee, one of them was sent the image taken by the other driver. This confirmed Molisee was in fact involved in the crash. He refused to provide ID and acted like he was going to walk away, so the deputies grabbed his arms, the report said.
He responded by tensing up to prevent them from putting his arms behind his back. The deputies took him to the ground, where he was placed in handcuffs. He later refused to participate in field sobriety exercises or provide a breath sample, the report said.
Molisee was charged with leaving scene of crash, DUI (property damage/personal injury) and refusal to submit to blood alcohol level test. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,500 bond.
Similarly, the West Virginia native was also arrested in Oct. 2024 when caught with an open bottle of Bud Light while driving.