Bad Parking at a Circle K led to a Villager’s arrest on a charge of driving under the influence.
A Sumter County sheriff’s deputy at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday noticed a red Ford Focus parked across two parking spots in front of the Circle K located on Buenos Aires Boulevard in The Villages.
The deputy watched as 67-year-old James Stein got into the vehicle and attempted to put the vehicle into drive using the windshield wiper switch and turning on the windshield wipers, according to the arrest report. The Historic Side resident had not turned on his headlights and was not wearing a seatbelt when he pulled onto U.S. Hwy. 27/441.
During a traffic stop, the deputy noted that the Pittsburg, Pa. native’s speech was “very slurred, slow and raspy.” The deputy also noted that Stein had “visibly bloodshot and droopy eyes and repeatedly closed his eyes and dropped his head.”
The deputy invited Stein to participate in field sobriety exercises in the parking lot of a nearby Walgreen’s. He struggled through the exercises and at one point the deputy feared Stein would fall.
Stein would not participate in a drug influence evaluation and would not provide a urine sample.
Stein was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center. He was released after posting $1,000 bond.