An Ocala man was charged with his second offense of driving under the influence of alcohol after a running into a tree Sunday morning.
Steven Nathaniel Scott, 26, also was charged with refusing a breath test after the single-vehicle wreck, which happened around 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of NW 6th Street and NW 5th Avenue.
When an Ocala Police officer responded to the scene, he observed a silver Infinity sedan with the front end resting against a large tree on the south side of the roadway. Scott had already been helped out of the vehicle through the passenger-side door, as the driver-side door was blocked by thick brush. Three witnesses placed Scott behind the wheel of the vehicle, according to the OPD report.
Scott told the officer he had just got off work at Cardinal Glass and was on his way home. The officer immediately noted Scott’s slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. When asked for his driver’s license, Scott said he didn’t have it on him. Scott then misspelled his middle name, “N-A-T-H-I-E-L-I-E-N,” the report said.
When asked what time he left work, Scott said 5 p.m. (Saturday) and that he had worked 21 straight days and was tired. He then said he had not just come “straight” from work but that he went “clubbing” with friends after work. While conducting the crash investigation, the officer observed Scott to be unstable on his feet and randomly laughing while talking, according to the report.
Scott agreed to perform a series of Standard Field Sobriety Tests, which he failed. During the testing, he made several remarks about not wanting to get in trouble and that he was only tired from working. He would then contradict that statement by saying “I’m (expletive deleted)” over and over. A search of Scott’s vehicle revealed a large “Polar Pop” cup with a tan liquid that emitted a strong odor of alcohol, the report said.
Scott was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he refused to take a breath alcohol test. He was released early Monday on $3,000 bond.