Volusia County sheriff catches reckless DUI driver on I-4, deputies say

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A suspected DUI driver accused of swerving recklessly on Interstate 4 was taken into custody Thursday with the help of the Volusia County sheriff, deputies said.

The sheriff’s office said Cody Deel, 33, was driving on I-4 Thursday afternoon near mile marker 127 in Daytona Beach.

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According to the sheriff’s office, drivers called 911 to report Deel swerving several times in a minivan, almost hitting a guard rail and then going back into traffic. Among the drivers witnessing this was Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who told deputies he followed the vehicle for about two miles.

“I’m like why are we doing 40 miles per hour on I-4. I couldn’t understand why all the cars had slowed down,” Chitwood said.

Other drivers slowed down and created a rolling roadblock to help other motorists avoid the minivan while drivers called 911 and filmed what was going on, the sheriff’s office said.

Chitwood said he was finally able to pull Deel over, then waited for deputies to arrive.

“Thank God I was out there,” Chitwood said. “Unfortunately last night we saw the I-4 driver, the wrong way, who killed somebody. This guy was erratic enough that somebody could have died.”

Bodycam video shows one of the deputies meeting Chitwood after stopping Deel and having Deel take a field sobriety test with Chitwood present. Deel told deputies he had not had any alcohol to drink, but the sheriff’s office said he had slurred speech and trouble with balance tests.

Deputies said Deel refused to submit to an alcohol breath test. According to the sheriff’s office, Deel had previously refused to take a breath test in 2007.

Deel was arrested and taken to Volusia County jail for driving under the influence and for refusing to submit to a breath test with a prior refusal.