Alachua County Driver Pulled Over for Failing to Maintain a Single Lane
An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a vehicle traveling northbound on State Road 93 traveling at approximately 35 miles per hour in a 70 miles per hour zone. The Deputy also observed the vehicle travel across the fog line several times and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle for failing to maintain a single lane. The Deputy noticed that the driver of the vehicle has bloodshot watery eyes, slurred speech and that there was an odor of alcohol coming from him. Additionally, the Deputy observed an open bottle of Jose Cuervo on the front passenger side floorboard of the vehicle. The Deputies asked the driver to perform field sobriety exercise, which the driver agreed to perform. The Deputy performed the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test and stated he observed a lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus prior to the onset of 45 degrees and at maximum deviation. The Deputy also had the driver perform the walk and turn, one leg stand and finger to nose tests. The driver was placed under arrest and was transported to the Alachua County Jail to provide a breath sample. When requested to provide a breath sample the driver blew a .219 and .215.
The driver hired Meldon Law. The attorneys at Meldon provided the prosecutor with a motion to suppress the traffic stop, as well as provided the prosecutor with mitigating evidence on behalf of our client. The attorney at Meldon Law was able to successfully negotiate a plea to a reduced charge of reckless driving with alcohol and the driver received a withhold of adjudication.
DISCLAIMER: The results are specific to the facts and legal circumstances of each of the clients’ cases and should not be used to form an expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters without reference to the specific factual and legal circumstances of each client’s case. (Date of Arrest: May 7, 2018).
