A Clermont man was arrested for driving under the influence after his involvement in a three-vehicle crash revealed three open cans of alcohol in his Audi.
A trooper responded to a vehicle collision involving 43-year-old Christopher George Szura on U.S. Hwy. 27 in Clermont around 6:25 p.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Florida Highway Patrol.
Upon arrival, the trooper observed a gray Ford Escape with damage across the front parked in the right median. A white Ram Promaster 1500 with damage on its right side sat in the center travel lane, and a black Audi TT with damage on its front-right side was in the outside lane, the report said.
The Ram owner advised that he was stopped in the center lane when the Ford owner crossed into the outside lane and struck the Audi. The owner of the Audi, Szura, appeared to be unconscious in the driver’s seat of his vehicle as paramedics treated him, the report said.
Szura ultimately advised that he was parked on the shoulder, and then he was surrounded by paramedics. He spoke with a thick tongue and slurred speech, and he smelled of alcohol. His eyes were watery, bloodshot and glassy, as well, the report said.
EMS subsequently transported him to the Orlando Health South Lake Hospital, located at 1900 Don Wickham Dr., Clermont. Meanwhile, an inventory of his Audi revealed three open containers of alcohol on the floorboard behind the passenger seat. These included two cans of Island Hurricane and one can of Natural Light, the report said.
During an interview at the hospital, Szura was slow to answer questions. He refused to say anything other than that a turtle was crossing the road at the time of the crash. He also did not want to participate in field sobriety exercises or provide breath samples, the report said.
Later that night, he was being taken to jail when he started talking about his life and how he liked to drink alcohol. He repeatedly stated he had recently moved to Clermont and kept getting into trouble, the report said.
Szura was arrested on charges of DUI and refusal to submit to DUI testing, as well as issued a citation for the open containers of alcohol. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,500 bond.