A drunk driving suspect claimed he was on his phone prior to crashing in a roundabout in The Villages.
A silver 2012 Mazda 3 driven by 33-year-old Mason Edward Shuford of Summerfield was spotted at about 6 p.m. Thursday with its hazard lights flashing at the roundabout at El Camino Real and Buena Vista Boulevard, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The vehicle’s driver’s front tire and its rear tires were flat. There were skid marks on the pavement as well as dirt and concrete scrapings.
When a deputy approached the driver’s side open door, the deputy “could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from inside the vehicle.”
Shuford said he “clipped the curb” by accident because “he was looking at his phone and not paying attention.”
Marijuana and a smoking pipe were found in the vehicle and Shuford admitted he did not have a valid medical marijuana card. He told the deputy he “can’t afford one because he’s broke.” He added that he obtains marijuana from a co-worker.
Shuford, who had been arrested on a charge of driving under the influence in 2015 at the MVP Athletic Club parking lot in The Villages, refused to provide a breath sample.
He was arrested on charges of DUI, possession of marijuana and possession of drug equipment. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $4,000 bond.
