A Fruitland Park man found himself behind bars early Sunday morning after a Marion County sheriff’s sergeant saw him pull into the parking lot of a closed Summerfield furniture store.
The sheriff’s sergeant spoke with 36-year-old Joshua Joseph Dunton in the parking lot of White’s Furniture & Accessories, located at 13970 S. U.S. Hwy. 27/441. Dunton told the sergeant he “had a few drinks,” a sheriff’s office report states.
Another deputy was called to the scene and reported smelling the odor of an “intoxicating beverage.” He invited Dunton to participate in field sobriety exercises, which he agreed to do.
Dunton struggled through multiple field exercises, including reciting the alphabet incorrectly and saying the word “key” instead of the letter “K.” He also told deputies that he couldn’t participate in two exercises because of a medical issue with his ankles. But when asked about the condition, he “could not give a specific reason or diagnosis,” the report says.
Dunton, who lives at 52 Rose Drive in Fruitland Park, was then placed under arrest and transported to the Marion County Jail, where he provided breath samples showing .232, .209 and .213 blood alcohol content. He was charged with driving under the influence and released late Sunday afternoon on $2,000 bond. His next court date hasn’t yet been set, jail records show.