The golf pro at Palmer Legends Golf and Country Club in The Villages pleaded no contest Thursday morning in Lake County Court to a reduced charge of “wet reckless” driving.
Mark Verkey, 42, of Oxford had been arrested April 26 on charges of driving under the influence and following too closely. The arrest report indicated Verkey had been on his way home from Leesburg Bikefest.
Verkey, with attorney Jaimie Washo at his side, entered the plea before Judge James R. Baxley.
Verkey was sentenced to 12 months probation, fined $500, was ordered to perform 50 hours of community services, attend DUI school and have no alcohol or be in a bar for 12 months. The following too closely charge was dismissed.
Wet reckless is a reckless driving with drugs or alcohol present. A wet reckless is different from a dry reckless in that a DUI alcohol class and evaluation with the possibility of treatment is part of the sentence.
According to an arrest report supplied by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, in the early morning hours when the arrest was made, Verkey’s Toyota Tundra pickup rapidly approached behind three motorcycles and Verkey began swerving side to side in an attempt to get the motorcycles to move. The pickup was about two feet from the rear of the motorcycles, the report noted.
Verkey voluntarily told the deputy who pulled him over that he had come from Bikefest and had consumed several beers that evening, the report said.
