POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A 24-year-old Fort Meade man found himself behind bars Thursday morning after a series of bad decisions led to his arrest by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
According to investigators, at approximately 3:33 a.m., near the intersection of State Road 540 and U.S. Highway 17 in Eagle Lake. A PCSO deputy on patrol noticed a green Chevrolet Silverado traveling without a functioning tag light.
“The deputy turned on his headlights, and the driver of the Chevy turned off all of his lights,” said PCSO. “For those who aren’t aware, driving with your lights off at 3:33 in the morning is not a very….bright thing to do.”
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A traffic stop was initiated, but before the vehicle came to a complete halt, a glass beer bottle was allegedly tossed out of the driver’s side window, shattering on the ground. Deputies also found a partially consumed Coors beer bottle inside the vehicle.
According to the PCSO report, the driver, Brad Thomas Helms, exhibited signs of impairment, including bloodshot, watery eyes and slurred speech.
During the initial phase of a Field Sobriety Test, the deputy noted six out of six possible indicators of impairment. Helms reportedly declined to continue the testing and was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Polk County Jail.
Upon arrival at the jail, Helms allegedly refused to provide any breath samples for testing.
Helms has been charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and Tampering with Evidence for his alleged attempt to dispose of the beer bottle. He was also issued traffic citations for operating a vehicle without a functioning tag light, driving without headlights at night, and having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
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