The community relations director at an assisted living facility in The Villages was arrested after his Audi A6 rear ended an SUV on County Road 466, leading to the discovery of cocaine in his briefcase.
The crash occurred at about 8 a.m. New Year’s Eve at County Road 466 and County Road 101 near Southern Trace Plaza when the Audi A6 struck the back of the red Toyota SUV which was stopped at a red light, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
The Audi was driven by 40-year-old Daniel Ward Shelley of Ocala. He has worked since 2016 as the community relations director at Serenades by Sonata Memory Care Assisted Living in The Villages, according to his LinkedIn page.
“While speaking with both drivers, the driver/owner of the white Audi appeared to be impaired by drugs and/or alcohol due to his inability to keep his balance, slurred speech, and was dropping items from his wallet multiple times,” the deputy wrote in the arrest report.
Shelley struggled through field sobriety exercises and told the deputy he was “getting over the flu and was taking antibiotics and steroids,” the report said.
A briefcase in Shelley’s vehicle was found to contain cocaine and a blue straw. Shelley said he had been holding it “for his friend,” the report said.
A breath test showed Shelley had not been drinking. He provided a urine sample.
He was arrested on charges of DUI property damage, possession of cocaine and possession of drug equipment. He did not have any previous criminal history.
Shelley was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $3,500 bond.