A driver has dodged a driving under the influence conviction following his arrest July 4 at a restaurant in Wildwood.
William Robert Polak, 66, of Ocala, pleaded no contest last week in Sumter County Court to a reduced charge of reckless driving. He has been placed on probation for six months.
Sumter County sheriff’s deputies at about 10 p.m. July 4 had been called to investigate a report of a driver slumped over the wheel of a car at Wendy’s restaurant on State Road 44 in Wildwood.
A deputy found Polak in the vehicle, which was running with the keys in the ignition. He had very slow, slurred speech, the report indicated.
Polak said he had a pinched nerve and suffered from balance issues. He relies on a cane, the report said.
The Michigan native was given the opportunity to complete field sobriety exercises while seated in a metal folding chair. He failed the exercises and refused to provide a breath sample. He was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center.