A Villager’s son was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence after reportedly mixing beer and medication.
Gregory Arthur Plant, 59, who lives on Baylor Place in the Village of Sunset Pointe, was pulled over at 2:45 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of the Oxford Golf Center on U.S. 301 after he was unable to maintain a single lane of traffic, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
The New York native told the deputy making the traffic stop that he was “new to the area” and just “trying to get familiar with surroundings,” the arrest report said.
The deputy noted in the report that Plant “seemed confused” and had “slurred speech.” Plant said he had “one beer before lunch time.”
Plant also said he had taken 800mg of Gabapentin for nerve pain. The deputy pointed out that the bottle of medication warned against mixing it with alcohol. Plant admitted he was aware of the warning.
The deputy noted that Plant’s driver’s license indicated he should be wearing glasses and Plant said he had been headed to Wal-Mart to pick them up, the report indicated.
Plant struggled through field sobriety exercises and at one point claimed he was suffering from vertigo.
He provided breath samples that registered .008 and .009 blood alcohol content and he also provided a urine sample. A check revealed Plant has DUI convictions in 1985 and 1999, both in New York.
He was taken into custody and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on $2,500 bond.
