A Lady Lake man was arrested with a Bloody Mary in a Polar Pop cup and an empty bottle of Fireball in his vehicle.
An officer observed 49-year-old Billy Rex Whitehead speeding in a passenger car on U.S. Hwy 27/441 around 10:55 p.m. Friday, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department. Radar determined he was going 63 miles per hour in a 50-mph zone.
The officer proceeded to get behind the vehicle, which rapidly slowed down and almost completely stopped on the highway. It then sped up and switched into the middle lane. The officer ultimately stopped the vehicle at U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and Miller Street, the report said.
Once the officer approached the vehicle, he noticed Whitehead had glassy eyes and smelled of alcohol. He agreed to let the officer search his car and had to use the vehicle to stabilize himself when he got out to walk away, the report said.
A half empty bottle of Fireball was found in the center console. In the cup holder was a large styrofoam Polar Pop cup with an orange liquid, and in the backseat was another Polar Pop cup with red liquid. Whitehead explained the red liquid was a Bloody Mary without the vodka, the report said.
Whitehead consented to field sobriety exercises, during which he lost his balance and did not follow instructions. His performance led the officer to conclude he was under the influence. He later refused to take a breath test, the report said.
A criminal history check revealed he was convicted of driving while license suspended on Jan. 27, 2017. His Virginia ID was still suspended from that guilty conviction, the report said.
Whitehead was arrested on charges of DUI and driving while license suspended, and he was issued a written warning for speeding. He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,000 bond.