POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Kissimmee man found himself in the custody of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office early Wednesday morning after a series of erratic driving maneuvers and a subsequent investigation revealed signs of impairment and multiple vehicle infractions.
At approximately 12:45 AM on June 4th, Deputy Randolph was stopped at a traffic light at Spirit Lake Road and Avenue G NW in Winter Haven, behind a silver Mercedes sedan bearing a Connecticut license plate.
When the light changed, the Mercedes quickly accelerated, made an abrupt turn onto Avenue J NW, performed a rapid U-turn, and then ran a stop sign – actions that immediately drew the deputy’s attention.
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Deputy Randolph activated his emergency lights. In response, the Mercedes reportedly entered the opposite lane of travel on 42nd Street NW and swerved towards the deputy’s patrol car before coming to a stop a short distance later.
The driver was identified as 23-year-old Jonathan Rivera of Kissimmee. When questioned, Rivera admitted he fled because the Mercedes was unregistered and the attached license plate did not belong to the vehicle.
Further observation by Deputy Randolph indicated signs of impairment in Rivera. His eyes were described as watery and bloodshot, his movements lethargic, and his speech slow and mumbled. A strong odor of marijuana was also detected. A field sobriety test was administered, which Rivera reportedly performed poorly on.
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While subsequent breath alcohol samples showed no signs of alcohol, suggesting impairment by drugs rather than alcohol, Jonathan Rivera was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
Rivera was booked into the Polk County Jail and faces a litany of charges, including: Aggravated Assault with a Motor Vehicle, Flee to Elude Law Enforcement, Reckless Driving, Possession of Marijuana Under 20g, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Unregistered Motor Vehicle, Attach Unassigned Tag, and DUI.
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