By Trend News Line 2024-05-24 14:00:54.
Man Arrested for DUI with Suspended License
A Tavares man, Thomas Daniel Horn, found himself in hot water after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence with a suspended license. Despite refusing consent to sobriety exercises or a breath test, Horn’s actions led to his arrest by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Details of the Incident
The incident unfolded when a trooper patrolling U.S. Hwy. 441 near College Drive spotted a gold Chevrolet Impala around 10:24 p.m. on May 28. The trooper conducted a check of the tag, which revealed that it belonged to a trailer with an expiration date of Dec. 13, 2023. Subsequently, the trooper initiated a traffic stop by activating his emergency lights.
Horn, the driver of the Impala, took some time to come to a complete stop. Despite having several opportunities to pull off into nearby businesses, he finally stopped on County Road 44 Leg A just off U.S. Hwy 441. The trooper approached Horn’s vehicle and detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from both Horn and the vehicle.
Driver’s License Suspended
Horn, when asked to provide his driver’s license, admitted that it was suspended. Instead, he handed over his Florida ID card, which confirmed that his license had been suspended since Sept. 19, 2018. Furthermore, Horn had a history of three previous suspensions for refusing to submit to lawful tests and three prior convictions for driving with a suspended license.
The trooper’s investigation also revealed that the vehicle was not registered to Horn. Although Horn denied having any alcohol in the car, two empty Smirnoff Ice Smash Blue Raspberry Lemonades were found in the backseat before the vehicle was towed away.
Refusal and Arrest
During the interaction with the trooper, Horn admitted to consuming “four to five Busches” about an hour before driving. His slightly bloodshot eyes and the strong odor of alcohol prompted the trooper to instruct Horn to step out of the vehicle for a DUI investigation. However, Horn refused to participate in field sobriety exercises but consented to having his eyes examined.
The trooper observed nystagmus in both of Horn’s eyes, indicating impairment. Despite being informed of the evidence against him, Horn continued to refuse sobriety exercises and even declined to provide a breath sample after being arrested. Consequently, Horn was charged with various offenses, including refusing to submit to a DUI test, driving with a suspended license, and DUI.
After posting a $3,000 bond, Horn was released from Lake County Jail. The incident serves as a reminder of the consequences of driving under the influence and the importance of complying with law enforcement during traffic stops..
– stolen tag suspended license DUI Smirnoff
– Man with stolen tag suspended license suspected DUI Smirnoff.