According to reports, on July 4, a man with two young children was driving an SUV past the Arcadia police headquarters. An officer spotted the vehicle and reportedly noticed it was being driven down the wrong side of the road. The officer pursued the SUV and performed a traffic stop.
The driver pulled over without incident, and when the officer approached to talk to them, they noticed two youngsters sitting in the vehicle’s back seat. The driver was asked if he was aware that he was driving in the opposite lane, and the officer reported that the man would not respond. The smell of alcohol was allegedly coming from the inside of the car. It was also reported that when the officer looked around the vehicle, he believed there was something that looked like a joint in the center console, in addition to a vape pen believed to contain THC oil.
When the officer tried to identify the suspect, he reportedly handed over a store receipt instead of an ID card and refused to give his name. The mother of the children was notified so she could retrieve them, and the man was taken into custody and booked into the DeSoto County Jail.
He is facing a multitude of charges including DUI – 4th or more offense, neglect of a child without great or bodily harm, refusal to submit breath, urine, blood test, possession of controlled substance without a prescription, resisting an officer without violence (refusal to identify), possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.