A man with two previous drunk driving convictions was arrested at the IHOP at Southern Trace Plaza after a disturbance.
Sumter County sheriff’s deputies were called at about 8:30 p.m. Friday to investigate a disturbance complaint. Upon arrival, they found 50-year-old Richard William Ferko Jr., of Fruitland Park, in a gold Honda minivan with its engine running, according to an arrest report. A clear empty liquor bottle with a gold cap was spotted on the passenger seat of the minivan. When Ferko was asked for his driver’s license, he instead handed the deputy his bank card. Ferko had slow, slurred speech and was sweating. He refused to participate in field sobriety exercises and would not provide a breath sample.
Ferko had been arrested on a DUI charge in 2016 in The Villages in which he also refused to provide a breath sample. He was also arrested in 2013 on a DUI charge.
He was taken into custody on a felony charge of driving under the influence. He also was arrested on a charge of refusal to submit to a DUI test.
He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on $6,000 bond.
