Three Florida Highway Patrol troopers and a Marion County sheriff’s deputy responded to a four-car crash Wednesday night near The Villages and ended up having to hobble-restrain the allegedly intoxicated, at-fault driver after he became extremely violent.
When the first trooper arrived at the crash scene at the corner of U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and County Road 42, he made contact with the sheriff’s deputy and was informed that the driver of the at-fault vehicle in the crash could be impaired. The trooper asked the deputy to remain on scene and assist him as he conducted the crash investigation.
The driver determined to be at fault was identified as 20-year-old Stephen Matthew McClain, of Summerfield, whose license had been suspended Aug. 16 for 180 days in connection with a June arrest for driving under the influence, the Florida Highway Patrol report states.
McClain, who lives at 9351 SE 163rd St., had been driving a Chrysler Sebring that had front-end damage. The other vehicles involved in the crash included a Hyundai Sonata with heavy right-side damage, a Honda Civic with heavy left-side damage and a Ford Focus with minor damage to the right rear side of the vehicle.
The trooper noted that McClain’s “speech was extremely slurred and his eyes were reddish, blood shot, glassy and watery.” He also said that while speaking with McClain, he became “extremely agitated by the presence of law enforcement and fire rescue,” the report says.
The trooper added that McClain was swaying and appeared unsteady on his feet. He “was very argumentative and displayed strange behaviors,” going so far as to talk to his dog and make strange sounds, the report notes, adding that the trooper could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from McClain’s breath.
A short time later, as the trooper was working on his crash report inside his vehicle, he noticed that McClain was becoming more agitated with the victims of the crash and wasn’t following the deputy’s commands. So he exited his patrol vehicle to assist, the report says.
Due to McClain’s behavior and his failure to follow commands, the impairment level observed, officer safety issues and the overall safety of the crash victims, McClain was placed under arrest. While the trooper attempted to put him in handcuffs, McClain became hostile and tried to fight him and the deputy. After a struggle, he was taken into custody and begin to kick the trooper, the report says.
Once inside the vehicle, McClain started to kick the back left window of the trooper’s car. But once more troopers arrived to assist, they were able to hobble-restrain McClain, the report says, adding that during a pat down another trooper discovered a small baggy of a white/clear substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Troopers also found a black/silver scale with a green leafy substance inside McClain’s vehicle that tested positive for marijuana, as well as an open, half-empty bottle of whiskey on the passenger floorboard, the report says.
McClain was transported to the Marion County Jail, where he provided breath samples that registered .227 and .224 blood alcohol content. He also provided a urine sample and was charged with driving under the influence with damage to property, knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license, possession of liquor while under the age of 21, resisting an officer with violence, battery on an officer, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (felony) and possession of drug equipment. He was being held on $25,000 bond.