Just after 8:00 pm on November 22, a Largo resident was reportedly driving a truck at an estimated speed of 35-40 mph when his vehicle crashed into the back of a car that was idle behind another stopped vehicle.
From the strong impact of being rear-ended at that speed, the first car was lurched forward and smashed into the car in front of it.
Police arrived at the scene and spoke with the driver of the truck, identified as 56-year-old Sergio Ferreira, and noted that he smelled as if he had been drinking alcohol. Ferreira was allegedly unsteady on his feet, and the whites of his eyes were reportedly reddened.
When he was asked to take a breath test, Ferreira allegedly told the authorities that he drank four large cans of Busch Light earlier in the evening, but he would not give them a sample of his breath.
The officers noted that Ferreira did participate in roadside sobriety tests, but they felt he performed poorly and asserted that the accident was a result of his driving under the influence of alcohol.
The motorists in the other cars involved in the wreck were not reported as needing medical treatment, and Ferreira was placed under arrest.
Ferreira, who was reported as having no prior criminal record, was taken to the Pinellas County Jail, and he is facing charges for suspicion of a misdemeanor charge of DUI involving property damage. He was released from custody on a $500 bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a DUI, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.