A Villager who said he drank a martini while golfing was arrested on a golf cart DUI.
A woman saw 62-year-old John Privitera at 6:39 p.m. Sunday along the golf cart path near Buena Vista Boulevard and Odell Circle and he appeared to be ill, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Privitera, who lives on the Historic Side of The Villages, told the woman he was OK and just had “too much to drink,” the report said. He told her he “just wanted to lay down in the bushes for a while and rest.” EMS arrived on the scene and evaluated Privitera.
A deputy responded to the scene and found the key was still in the ignition of Privitera’s red 2009 Club Car golf cart.
The Massachusetts native told the deputy he had breakfast at Bob Evans that morning but had nothing else to eat the rest of the day. He said he spent the day at the Mallory Championship Golf Course and had one vodka martini while golfing.
Privitera struggled through field sobriety exercises and when asked to recite the alphabet, he threw his hands up in the air and said, “I can’t do it!” He provided breath samples that registered .135 and .133 blood alcohol content.
He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on a charge of driving under the influence. He was released after posting $1,000 bond.
