A man suspected of driving under the influence was arrested after straying near the helipad at UF Health-The Villages Hospital.
A security guard at the hospital contacted law enforcement shortly before 2 a.m. Friday to report a “possible drunk pedestrian” who was “falling into a vehicle,” according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy arrived on the scene and found 62-year-old Mark Allen Pryor of the Water Oak community in Lady Lake, who was standing by a gold Chevy S10 pickup. He had “a strong odor of alcohol.” The keys to the truck were in his pocket.
Pryor agreed to participate in field sobriety exercises and pointed out he was wearing knee braces. He struggled through the exercises and nearly fell to the ground.
“This isn’t going well for me at all,” Pryor told deputies.
He provided breath samples that registered .062 and .065 blood alcohol content. Because the readings were below the .80 legal limit, Pryor was asked to submit a urine sample. He refused.
A criminal history check revealed Pryor had been convicted of DUI three times, twice in 1990 and in 2007.
Due to the previous convictions, Pryor was arrested on a felony charge of DUI. He was also charged with a misdemeanor county of refusal to submit to testing.
He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on $10,000 bond.
