A reckless driver was arrested on a drunk driving charge after a traffic stop on the Historic Side of The Villages.
Officers got word of a white truck with a utility box committing reckless traffic violations near south U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and Lake Ella Road around 9:40 p.m. Friday, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. The caller stated the driver of the truck, later identified as 34-year-old Adrian Clink of Lady Lake, was speeding, braking in the middle of the road, swerving and leaning out the window. The vehicle almost crashed at U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and County Road 466.
One of the officers spotted the truck headed north from the traffic light at Fennell Boulevard on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and was able to get directly behind it in the middle lane at Rolling Acres Road for the red traffic signal. He confirmed the Florida license plate attached to a white Ford truck with a utility box for the bed, the report said.
When the signal turned green, the vehicle was first in line and left aggressively. The officer sped up with the vehicle and maintained 61 miles per hour for about four seconds. The vehicle was not steady in the lane, the report said.
The officer turned on his red and blue patrol lights along with a chirp from the siren. The vehicle sharply moved to the right lane, and the tires on the right side hit the curb. The vehicle then turned into Circle K at La Grande Boulevard and stopped, the report said.
The officer approached Clink to explain the reason for the stop and asked for a driver’s license. Clink told him that he did not have a driver’s license, instead offering to hand over his New York identification card, the report said.
While at the driver’s window, the officer could smell the odor of alcoholic beverage coming from within the vehicle. He asked Clink to give him the identification card, but he took an excessive amount of time to find it in his wallet. He was also distracted while searching, the report said.
The officer went back to his vehicle and requested any information for a driver’s license for Clink through Lake County dispatch. He was informed that Clink had a revoked license from NY State and no other valid license. He subsequently went back to Clink and asked him to step out of the vehicle, the report said.
As Clink stood at the front of the officer’s patrol vehicle, the officer saw him stumble and be unsteady on his feet. The officer informed him that he did not have a valid driver’s license and would be arrested for driving without one. He also told him that he believed he had been drinking alcohol and asked him to participate in field sobriety exercises, the report said.
Clink refused to do any exercises and stated the officer did not have a reason to pull him over. However, an empty Budweiser beer can and a small 1oz liquor bottle were in plain sight inside the vehicle. He later refused to submit to a breath test, as well, the report said.
Additionally, a criminal history check from NY showed Clink was arrested for DUI and driving while license suspended/revoked in 2012, 2014 and 2016 in Syracuse and Solvay. The disposition showed guilty for all of these arrests, the report said.
Clink was ultimately charged with driving while license suspended or revoked (second or subsequent offense) and DUI (third offense outside of 10 years). He was also issued a citation for speeding. He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $6,000 bond.
