Polk County, Fla. — A Polk County man was arrested and charged with his fifth DUI, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said that Lakeland resident John Scott, 64, was pulled over Thursday night by a witness after driving recklessly.
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“Most people get it, they know that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a bad thing,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “But this man clearly doesn’t understand it. The witness who called the negligent driver to report, then helped the assistants find him, may have saved some lives tonight.”
Scott was found driving a white Chevy van that had its high-beam lights on and failed to stay in his lane, according to deputies.
According to an arrest report, a deputy pulled over Scott and found “his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and his breath and the man smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages.” ,
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The deputy also revealed that he had to hold Scott three times because he would start falling backwards.
Deputies said Scott was so unstable on his feet that he was unable to perform two of the three parts of his field sobriety test.
Scott told the deputy that he left work at about 5:30 p.m. and went to a friend’s house for a drink, where he “only had six beers.”
The deputy said the restrictions on Scott’s driving license only allow him to commute to and from work.
Scott was arrested at the time for a DUI and taken to the sheriff’s processing center.
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Officials said Scott became belligerent with the deputy at the facility and refused to provide a breath sample.
According to one report, he told the deputy, “I’m not doing what you say,” and uttered racially derogatory words to the deputy.
Scott was charged with a DUI fourth or subsequent offense, refusing to submit to a DUI BAL trial, and violation of driver’s license restrictions.
Deputies said Scott had made four prior DUI arrests in Polk County in 1976, 1978, 1981 and 2000.
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