Man Driving Golf Cart on Roadway Charged With DUI

A Summerfield, Florida man operating a golf cart was arrested Monday for DUI after allegedly failing a field sobriety test.

According to a police report, deputies were called to a Sally Beauty Supply after being notified of a robbery. Employees supposedly said a man acting strangely entered the store twice and asked for money from the cash register.

Clerks at the store apparently gave the man money from their pockets and he left.

A deputy supposedly spotted the 44-year-old man later driving a golf cart with one functioning headlight. The man allegedly agreed to a field sobriety test after being stopped by the officer.

The officer transported the man to the Marion County Jail after he allegedly failed the sobriety exercise.

According to police, the man’s record indicates that his driver’s license had been suspended in January 2004 for 10 years for DUI in Pasco County and that he was convicted two other times for DUI in Palm Beach.

The man supposedly declined a breath or blood test at the jail.

In addition to DUI the man was charged with refusing to submit to a breath test and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

In the state of Florida, it is entirely possible to receive a DUI while operating a golf cart. Similarly, a person can be arrested for DUI while riding a bike, scooter, horse and even a motorized wheel chair in Florida. The prosecution still has the same burden of proof whether a DUI arrest is related to a golf cart or any other mode of transportation – the accused was in control of the vehicle and their driving ability was impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Golf carts are relatively inexpensive and quite easy to navigate which makes them a very popular mode of transportation for Florida residents. Golf carts are recognized as motor vehicles that can be just as dangerous as a car or any other type of automobile. With that said, if a driver of a golf cart is suspected of operating a cart under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he or she may suffer the same consequences associated with a motor vehicle DUI including the loss of a driver’s license, fines and possible jail time.

The Villages DUI Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can fully examine any evidence stacked against you to determine whether the information can be admissible in court. Our attorneys understand the legal requirements that apply to DUI evidence, including the calibration of breathalyzer tests, the validity of field sobriety tests and other important factors.

If you or someone you know has been charged with DUI on a golf cart, scooter, bike or any other motor vehicle in The Villages, contact The Villages DUI Criminal Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call 352-369-5334.