A Villager jailed since a golf cart DUI arrest in September is facing additional legal woes.
Jack Grusmark, 68, of the Village of De La Vista, remains lodged without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center after his second drunk driving arrest in as many years.
Grusmark is also being sued by a fellow Villager whose pickup truck was damaged when it was struck by Grusmark’s red Atomic golf cart at the gate at Morse Boulevard and El Camino Real.
The pickup’s owner watched on the night of Sept. 10 as Grusmark’s golf cart crossed the center line near Hacienda Hills Country Club and almost caused a head-on collision with another vehicle, according to documents on file in Sumter Count Court. The driver of that car and the pickup turned around and followed Grusmark’s golf cart back to the gate.
The pickup owner attempted to block Grusmark’s path at the gate to prevent him from entering the roundabout. Grusmark’s golf cart struck the pickup in the right rear side.
Grusmark told Sumter County sheriff’s deputies he could not remember what had happened during or leading up to the traffic crash. While Grusmark was seated on the curb, he fell to his side numerous times. The Warwick, R.I. native struggled through field sobriety exercises. He refused to provide breath samples.
A check revealed he has six prior DUI convictions. He had been arrested last year on a golf cart DUI after drinking vodka at City Fire at Lake Sumter Landing. As a result of that conviction, Grusmark was placed on probation for one year, lost his driver’s license for six months and was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.
The owner of the pickup is seeking nearly $5,000 in damages from Grusmark, who was served with the legal paperwork while behind bars.
