A 73-year-old habitual traffic offender was arrested after he was found to have a cold beer in his vehicle.
Stephen Columbus Brucke, 73, of Fruitland Park, was driving a red Ford utility vehicle at about 4 p.m. Tuesday on Picciola Road when a Fruitland Park police officer ran his license plate and learned the vehicle’s registered owner has a revoked license. The check revealed his driver’s license has been revoked for convictions for driving under the influence and refusal to provide a breath sample. He also has previous convictions for driving while license suspended.
During a traffic stop, Brucke said he was going to get groceries and his wife was unable to drive, according to an arrest report.
The officer spotted spilled beer on the floorboard of the vehicle. The officer noted in the arrest report that the beer was “ice cold.”
Brucke was arrested on a felony charge of driving while license suspended. He was also ticketed for an open container violation.
He was booked at the Lake County Jail on $10,000 bond.
