A Leesburg man suspected of drunk driving gave the cops a one-finger salute when he was found sleeping in his car.
Hugo Cruz, 39, was found asleep in the vehicle early Sunday morning when Fruitland Park police found it at a crooked angle with the engine running at the intersection of Mary Sue Street and Elm Avenue. The vehicle was in gear and Cruz’s foot was on the brake.
The officers were able to turn the car off and put it in park. They had some difficulty in rousing Cruz. When the officers observed Cruz open his eyes, they identified themselves as police. Cruz responded by raising his left middle finger to the officers, according to the arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department.
The officers detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Cruz who refused to get out of the car and had to be removed under threat of being tasered.
Once out of the vehicle, the officers noted that the Texas native had trouble maintaining his balance, slurred his speech and had bloodshot eyes. He refused to participate in field sobriety exercises and would not provide a breath sample.
Cruz was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail. When the officers removed Cruz from the patrol car, they noted in their report that Cruz had urinated in the back seat. He was charged with driving under the Influence and resisting arrest without force. He was released after posting $2,000 bond.
