A resident of the Lake Sumter Apartments was arrested on a drunk driving charge after nearly falling over during a field sobriety exercise.
Niko Carlos Rosa, 34, was driving a silver sedan at about 2 a.m. Saturday when an officer saw him pulling out of Opus Bar and Billiards, according to an arrest report from the Belleview Police Department. The officer followed the vehicle and watched it proceed straight through an intersection from a left-turn-only lane.
A traffic stop was initiated at the intersection of SE Hames Road and SE Holly Road. Upon making contact with Rosa, the officer noted he had bloodshot, glassy eyes and the distinct odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. An open can of Twisted Tea was also spotted in the back seat of the vehicle. When asked how much he had to drink, Rosa claimed he had “nothing,” though he admitted to smoking marijuana about three hours prior to the stop.
Rosa agreed to participate in voluntary field sobriety exercises but struggled through them. During the walk-and-turn exercise, he stepped off the line, took an incorrect number of steps, and made a left turn to continue walking instead of turning around as instructed. During the one-leg stand, he swayed, repeatedly put his foot down, and almost fell over, having to use his arms to catch himself. He also missed the tip of his nose during the finger-to-nose exercise and misjudged the passage of time during another test.
He was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Jail. Once there, Rosa refused to submit to a lawful breath test, even after being read the implied consent warning.
Rosa was booked on a charge of driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a DUI test. He was released after posting $1,500 bond.