A Leesburg man was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence on his way home from Outback Steakhouse.
An off-duty officer from Astatula called the police to a residence on River Run Drive around 7:35 p.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. He had seen 74-year-old Steven Floyd Ragar shifting between lanes in a black Mercedes, indicating he was intoxicated and prompting a traffic stop.
An officer with the Leesburg Police Department responded and immediately noticed the smell of alcohol on Ragar’s breath. Ragar advised that he was having a nice dinner at Outback Steakhouse, and he lived nearby. He then agreed to step out of the vehicle for field sobriety exercises, the report said.
He grabbed the top of the vehicle’s door frame for assistance and leaned on the vehicle to stop himself from falling as he slowly exited. He stood with a wide stance, his body leaning forward and swaying, while the officer instructed him. His face and head appeared to be sweaty, and his eyes were glossy, the report said.
Ragar also slurred some of his words and experienced mood swings. His demeanor switched from respectful to confused and agitated. He worked through the exercises, although he lost his balance and did not follow instructions. His performance led the officer to conclude he was under the influence. He later refused to provide breath samples, the report said.
The Kentucky native was arrested on charges of DUI and refusal to submit to DUI testing. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,000 bond.