MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man who admittedly had “maybe a little too much to drink” was caught on dash camera video riding a lawn mower on a highway, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said they caught Paul Burke, of Fort McCoy, driving the riding lawn mower in the middle of Highway 316 on Wednesday.
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Video provided by the department shows Burke slurring his words and admitting that he had been drinking, although he never quantifies exactly how much he had.
At first, Burke said he had “a couple” but when asked again by the deputy again he replies, “I’m not gonna lie to you” and later says, “I have had maybe a little too much to drink tonight.”
Burke said he had just left his home and was driving to his home.
Watch the arrest video below:
MAN WITH 3 PRIOR DUI CONVICTIONS IS FOUND DRIVING LAWMOWER WHILE INTOXICATED ON HWY 316FORT MCCOY MAN WITH 3 PRIOR DUI CONVICTIONS IS FOUND DRIVING LAWMOWER WHILE INTOXICATED ON HWY 316 Paul Burke has three prior DUI convictions and has had his license suspended three times as well as revoked four times all for DUIs and refusals to submit a breath sample. On August 5, 2020 Deputy Jentsch observed Burke driving down the middle of HWY 316 on his lawnmower… When Deputy Jentsch made contact with Burke, he could smell the alcohol coming from his breath and his speech was slurred. Burked attempted to do the field sobriety but stated he couldn’t do it because he had been drinking too much. He was arrested and transported to the Gold Star Hotel. Driving a lawnmower in the middle of a road where the speed limit is 55mph is dangerous and illegal … add being drunk into the mix, it can be come fatal..
Posted by Marion County Sheriff's Office on Monday, August 10, 2020
According to the footage, the deputy tries to get Burke to perform a field sobriety test but Burke says he can’t complete the exercises because he’s “been drinking too much.”
Burke asks if he can just be issued a ticket and be on his way.
“So I’m going to ask you one more time if you want to do these exercises,” the deputy says.
“No sir, just take me to jail,” Burke replies.
Deputies said Burke has three prior DUI convictions and as a result, does not have a valid driver’s license.
“Driving a lawnmower in the middle of a road where the speed limit is 55mph is dangerous and illegal,” deputies wrote in a Facebook post. “Add being drunk into the mix, it can be come fatal.”
Burke was arrested on a DUI charge.