U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement put a hold on a Brazilian who was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence at Colony Plaza in The Villages.
A bystander called law enforcement about a suspicious vehicle parked on the median between the 7-Eleven parking lot, located at 260 Colony Blvd., and the main road around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The driver, 28-year-old Rosivaldo Prudente, was standing in the bushes with a flashlight.
When a deputy arrived, he found Prudente sitting in the driver’s seat of his 1997 Dodge van. The vehicle was still running with the keys in the ignition as he talked with a woman on the phone. The deputy motioned him to get out, so he shut the vehicle off and did so, the report said.
The deputy immediately noticed the strong smell of alcohol on his breath while they spoke with one another. Prudente could not explain how he got between the gas station and the median, only that he realized he was unfit to drive and stopped there to avoid going further. The deputy noted that he had red, glassy and watery eyes, the report said.
Prudente even admitted that he knew he was “drunk” and should not be driving. He also agreed to participate in field sobriety exercises but swayed, lost his balance and did not follow instructions during them. He later provided breath samples of 0.199 and 0.192 blood alcohol content, the report said.
Additionally, a search of his vehicle revealed an open can of Busch Light in the front cab cup holder. The can still had beer inside of it was cold to the touch. There was also a large container of the same beer in the back of the vehicle, along with several empty Busch Light cans, the report said.
Prudente was arrested on charge of driving under the influence and transported to the Sumter County Detention Center.