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Friday, March 29, 2024

Crying Ocala man with banana cocktail in vehicle charged with DUI in Belleview

Michael Jacob Edinger

An Ocala man cried while failing field sobriety exercises during his arrest on a DUI charge Monday night on U.S. Hwy. 441 in Belleview.

Michael Jacob Ebinger, 31, of 218 E. 31st Terrace, was driving a small black Pontiac south on SE Abshier Boulevard when a Belleview Police officer observed him following the vehicle in front of him so closely that he almost slammed into the rear of it when it slowed down at the intersection with U.S. Hwy. 301. The officer then saw Ebinger’s vehicle almost leave the road into the median from the inside lane, then swerve into the outside lane without using a turn signal, according to the police report.

The officer turned on his emergency lights and tried to stop the vehicle along the 6200 block of SE Abshier Boulevard, but Ebinger continued until finally stopping in the 11800 block of S. U.S. Hwy. 441. When first contacted by the officer, Ebinger’s eyes were very glassy, he was slurring his speech badly and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, according the report.

Ebinger denied having any alcohol but said he could call his girlfriend to come drive him home. When asked why she would need to drive him home if he was fine, he said he was very scared and just wanted to go home. When the officer asked Ebinger for his insurance card, which was on his lap, he searched his lap and glove compartment for several minutes before the officer told him it was on his lap. Ebinger then agreed to perform a series of field sobriety exercises, according to the report.

The officer was unable to complete the nystagmus eye test because Ebinger wouldn’t stop moving his head. During the walk and turn exercise, Ebinger couldn’t keep his balance and began to cry when he couldn’t understand what he was being told, according to the report.

Ebinger became very emotional during the one-leg stand, as he was only able to lift his foot twice for a total of four seconds during the 30 seconds he was timed. Ebinger then began to cry profusely before failing the remaining exercises and being arrested, according to the report.

A search of Ebinger’s car turned up a large bottle of 99 proof banana cocktail that was two-thirds empty, according to the report.

Ebinger was taken to the Marion County Jail, where breathalyzer tests measured his blood alcohol level at 0.182 and 0.163 percent. He was released Tuesday on $500 bond. No court date was set.