[Music] On August 13th, 2023, Officer Mitchell and Clifton of the FWC were on patrol near the Lake Summit boat ramp when they observed the vessel approaching with no all-around white light, which is required by law between the hours of sunset and sunrise. Seeing that this is a safety violation, the officers informed the operator that they will be conducting a safety inspection. That's perfect. Good job, How you doing, sir? How you doing? Not too bad. We're just going to knock out a quick safety inspection. Uh when you get it pulled out of the water, Adam. Hi. How are you tonight? I know you just got here. You come out here and I know you just got here. Did you hear that? That's prop. Yeah. Okay. I just heard that. Where's he going? Oh, he's leaving, I guess. 26. Leave your truck in mine. You're driving. All right. It might not be a big deal to you guys, but this is the first video ever of someone actually running from a safety inspection. And boy, did this guy have a reason. All right, step down. Step down. Yeah, I'm trying to Yes, sir. So, you remember that time two seconds ago when I said I'm going to knock out a safety inspection? No, I did not hear that. You made eye contact with me? Yes, sir. I didn't hear it say anything about safety inspection. I swear to God. Why'd you take off? I was just trying to get out everybody's way. This isn't even where you take care of that. No, like right there. Like people are trying to get away. No, there's nobody there. Well, I mean, I'm just so used to it. No, this isn't even where people would pull off. Where's your driver's license? What the officers don't know at this point, the back of the vessel is full of beer cans. And I have a sneaking suspicion that the operator was attempting to hide these cans before the officers arrived. Right inside, I I'll get everything you need. No. Are you the registered owner of the vehicle? Yes, sir. All right. Give me two seconds. Are you the registered owner? You just stay right here, sir. Are you the registered owner of the vote? Okay. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Um, why did why did you leave? We told you we're going to do good quick uh vessel safety inspection. I didn't hear. I was going to say you acknowledged them. You said, "Okay." And then you got in the vehicle and then you continue to leave. Um, you know, we stood there. We said, "Hey, we're going to do a quick vessel safety inspection." You acknowledged us. So, um, I apologize. Okay. Understand. Okay. I just don't know why you like got in your truck and took off so quickly. You didn't tie it down. Your motor was still down. I mean, all we want to do is just do a quick little safety inspection. What's going on, buddy? How you doing today? What is it? Oh, we're just talking to your dad. It's all good. Stay right here. Hey, come back. I listen. I got it. You're looking at it. It's already scratched up. Ain't going to do nothing. Stay right there. Okay. I I didn't mean to do that. I I hope not. Get out of the way. Okay. Um, just stay right here. We'll We'll be right back in a minute. Are you the registered owner of the boat, you said? Yes, ma'am. Okay, got it. Can I get my shoes? Uh, just hold on one second. I don't want you. Where are your shoes at? Right in there. I just want to get something on my feet. Okay. Well, just hold on a second. I I would hope not. Not again. Anyways, uh, definitely not. So, especially since I saw you have a dog and your son in the truck or the car. So, yes, ma'am. Okay. So, I can imagine he's just a little scared right now. Definitely. Uh, got my heart rate up tonight. So, so yeah, we don't usually have people take off on us whenever uh we uh we're already spoke with them. Okay. So, yeah, that's honestly I've been doing this for the better part of a decade. That was one of the weirdest things that's I ever taken place. I apologize. All right. My bad. I just wanted to get out of everybody's way because a lot of times I'll be blowing the horn and like get out of our way cuz Okay. What I mean, was someone back there honking their horn at you trying to tell you to get out of the way? Nobody was today, but Okay. I mean, it has in the past and it's just in my mind. Gotcha. Gotcha. I gota All right, man. Real quick question. How much have you had to drink today? Go ahead. Go ahead. Nothing. I got it. I'm smelling alcohol off your breath. So, let's be honest about this. How much have you had to drink today? I promise you, man. I just want to get myself. I hear you, dude. I I want everybody to be safe, but between that and me smelling alcohol on your breath, I need to make sure you're okay. All right. I can't just take your word for that. All right. Yes, sir. Okay. Make sense? Yes, sir. All right. Before we move into doing any safety inspection stuff, I'm going to make sure you're safe to drive. All right. Do you have any uh problems with your eyes? All right. Are you under the care of a doctor or a dentist? I hear you. I I've got to take care of this. I I don't There's not a choice here. Can I get on the grass? Cuz my feet are hurting. Yeah, you can stay in the grass. That's fine. Yeah. Are you under the care of a doctor? No, sir. Are you under the care of a dentist? No, sir. Are you sick? No, sir. Are you injured? My son, he is a little bit sick. Okay. Are are you sick? Go ahead. Um, just what I caught from him maybe a little bit, but not like I'm not like deathly ill or anything. All right. Do you have any problems with your legs? No, sir. Okay. Do you have any problems with your knees or your feet? No, sir. I live less than five miles from here. Okay. Yeah, that's fine. It'll be a short drive back then once we take care of all this. Okay. Yes, sir. All right. Are you taking any medications? No, sir. Are you taking any drugs? Yes, sir. All right. I want to check your eyes. All right. Yes, sir. I'm gonna have you hold your head still and follow the tip of this pen with your eyes and your eyes only. Before we do that, I want you to put your heels together, toes together, and put your arms down on your side. Can you just get a little bit closer? Awesome. Yep, that's perfect. I need you to follow it. Yes, sir. I need you Okay. If you don't participate in this, I can't You're not You're not following this. Okay. If you don't follow it, I cannot make a determination on whether you're safe to drive. Okay. I'm trying. All right. You're not following. You're looking over here. Well, I was looking at my peripheral vision. Nope. Listen, I' i've been doing this way too long. All right. You're not going to be able to get one over on me. All right. No, I'm not trying to get anything on you. It really feels like it. So, if you do not follow this, I'm going to take that as you not participating in the exercise. I don't want to participate. Okay. Then I need you to follow this. Yes, sir. Don't move your head. I know. Exactly. Can you just Yeah. No. No. You're good. No, it's all good. Listen, I'm not taking it personally, but I I need to figure this out. All right. You're looking here. I can see you looking. There you go. That's what it looks like. I can literally tell the difference. And again, you're not following me. All right. Are you Are you going to participate in this exercise? This is my last opportunity. I'm going to provide you. I'm I'm with you, man. Like I'm Okay, let's go. Nope. All right. I want you to stand right there just the way I was facing. Okay. Yes, sir. I want you to imagine a line that's leading from your left foot to my right foot. Okay. Can you see that line? So, this is my left foot. Correct. So, I want you to imagine a line going from your left foot to my right foot. Can you see that line? Yes, sir. Okay. What I want you to do is place your left foot on that line and put your right foot in front of your left foot with the heel of your right foot touching the toe of your left foot. Go ahead and do that now. I don't I don't see the line. Okay. I want you to imagine a rel a straight line going from your left foot to my right foot. Right. Right. So, that one right there. Correct. All right. Remain in that position while I explain the step back. I hear you. I'm not trying to do anything. I'm not doing my job if I don't make sure you're safe to drive. Okay. What kind of guy would I be if I let somebody who is impaired drive home? I don't get you. I got you. No, I don't think you do. But I need I need to do my job. I appreciate you, man. Just let me do my job. All right. I'm going to get through this as quickly as humanly possible. All right. I got you, man. I listen. I don't want to be standing out here without AC any more than you do. Okay. I just got to knock this out real quick. All right. Cool. Yes, sir. No, I appreciate that. Yeah, you you've been respectful this entire time. All right. So, like I said, I want you to imagine a line going from your left foot to my right foot. Okay? Can you see that line? Yes, sir. I want you to place your left foot on that line. Place your right foot in front of your left foot with the heel of your right foot. Nope. No, sir. I just This is one step at a time. Left foot on the line. Right foot in front of your left foot with the heel of your right foot touching the toe of your left foot. And keep your arms down at your side. Yep. Remain in that position while I explain the task. Do you understand? Yes, sir. All right. When I tell you to begin, you're going to take nine heel to toe steps down the line. It's going to look like this. One, two, three, and so on until you get to nine. All right. Go ahead and get back in that position for me. Okay. on that ninth step. All right, I want you to leave your lead front foot planted and turn around until you're facing back down the line by taking a series of small steps. It's gonna look like this. Then I want you to take nine heel totoe steps back down the line with your first when you're uh you bring your rear foot back forward. That's going to be your first step. One, two, three, and so on until you get to nine. This is a continuous exercise. Once you start walking, do not stop walking until the exercise is over. At all times, keep your arms down at your side. Look at your feet and count your steps out loud. Begin. Continue the exercise that is explained it. Start improper turn back. Yes sir. Offline to tell Miss to 10 steps. All right. Sir, have you completed the exercise? Sir, have you completed the exercise? 11. 12. Have you completed the exercise? You want me to turn around? Have you Have you completed the exercise the way I've explained it? Did you say turn around? Have you completed the exercise the way I've explained it? I I believe so, but I'm not I'm 100% sure. Okay. All right. All right. So again, you're going to lift your either foot of your choice approximately six inches off the ground. It's about the height of a can of Coke when I tell you to begin. So stay in that position. All right. You're going to count out loud in the following manner. 1000 1,002 10003 and so on until I tell you to stop. If for any reason you drop that foot, just pick it back up and keep counting where you left off. 10006 10007 and so on until I tell you to stop. All right. Yes, sir. So, for this exercise, I want you to keep your arms down at your side. Look at the raised foot at all times. All right. Keep your raised legs straight. All right. And again, count out loud. Begin. Again, look at your raised foot. 500 600 700. So pick it back up and continue. 100 200 300 again. 100 2 100 3 100 400 Again. 1 100 2 100 3 100 4 100 500 600 700 800 900 All right. and stop. All right. So, at this time, I'm going to have you face that way. Place your hands behind your back. This time, you're being placed under arrest for driving under the influence. Turn around. Do not resist me. No. No. I won't I won't resist. Turn around, sir. Turn around. I will. I won't. Sir, I will not resist you. I know. I promise. It's okay. You've been fine. I just don't want that to change. Give me your other hand. I understand. We're going to take care of that. Give me your other hand. All right. All right. Do you have anything on you that I should be aware of? Anything that's going to poke me, stick me, or harm me? 100%. No. Okay. Hey, Aaron, can we just pull him back a little bit? Yeah, 100%. Okay. All right. Take a couple steps back. I want you back that way. Okay. No, please help me tonight. Um, do you have your Do you have your wife's phone number or anything like that tonight? Anyone that can come get the boat, the trailer, the vehicle, the dogs, the kid. Okay. I want to step back cuz I obviously don't want to go and put the kid in this. I don't want him to see this. Okay. Can I Can you get mom two seconds? Mom can do that. What? She can. Hey, stay just stay still while I can check. Okay, hold on. My mom can help me. Okay, but I'm gonna lose my I have to go to work tomorrow. Hey. Hey, honey. Hey, it it's okay. Let's go sit back in the vehicle. Okay. What are you doing? So, listen. Sometimes whenever you become an adult, things happen. Okay. What's wrong with them? So, um we just need to get a hold of your mom. Okay. Do you have your mom or grandma's number? Yes. Okay. Can you tell me what's going on? So, what's going on right now is your dad's going to come with us tonight. Okay. So, just I don't think it's the same. He's going to be in a little bit of trouble, but he's going to be okay. It's okay. Can you get at least before you do anything? Can you at least drop me off at my mom's first? Of course, we're not going to believe me. We're not leaving anything before you give me to my mom. Okay. No, of course you won't do anything. We listen. I I I hate doing this kind of stuff, okay? But I'm not going to leave you here alone, okay? Okay. So, I'm going to be here. What's your daughter's name? Duke. Duke. Okay. So, what we're going to do is we go get a hold of your mom or your grandma or whoever you possibly can. Your mom. Okay. Please, sir. I got you, man. Give me two seconds. I just wanted a good a good date with my son. I hear you. I don't doubt it. Okay. But the problem is you're driving under the influence. It's not okay. All right. Yeah, but man, I got you. This is not good, man. Give me two seconds. We're going to walk down to my car. Okay. Can you please help me out? Listen, I am helping you out. I stopped you from driving before you killed somebody. Promise I'm going to kill nobody. But I I know you're not because you're not going to be driving today. Yeah, sir. You're going to ruin my whole life. No, I am not. I I did not make the choices today that put us here. I know that's going to help make you feel good. It doesn't make me feel good, but you you you think I like doing this. Going to lose my job. This is Listen, that's not my fault. And then the next thing my son's This is not my fault. Those are $400. I'll take care of it. I'm not going to resist you at all. I know you're not. So, don't worry about that. I know. I'm not concerned about it, man. I'm I'm calm. It's a Hindu cow. I got you. No, you're being chill. I got you. But can you please help me out, too, man? Cuz I've been really cool with you. Yeah. Go ahead and put your rear end against that seat. I just I just I love Put your rear end against We're going to keep talking about this, but I want you to sit in the truck. Okay. I've got stuff I've got to take care of. Put your rear end against the seat. This is me helping you out. Put your rear end against Listen, my guy. You are getting arrested. Hello. Hi. Good evening. This is Officer Mitchell for Ford Fish and Wildlife. Um, is this? Yes. Hi. Um, we're currently on a vehicle and vessel stop with your son and I'm assuming your husband. No, my ex your ex-husband. So, we're currently on a um vessel stop with him. We've determined that he is um DUI and BU. Um, he has your son in the vehicle. We need someone to come get your son. Um, and possibly the uh dog that's here with him. Okay, I'll go get him right [Music] now. Heat. Heat.