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Friday, March 29, 2024

Bathroom-seeking Ocala man jailed on DUI charge after stopped for speeding

Michael J. Burns

A 36-year-old Ocala man who claimed he was speeding because he needed to use the restroom was jailed after a recent traffic stop.

A Marion County sheriff’s deputy stopped a red Ford Focus on S. Pine Avenue after confirming it was traveling at 91 mph in a 45-mph zone. The deputy made contact with the driver, 36-year-old Michael J. Burns, who denied drinking any alcohol but said he needed to use a restroom. The deputy reported that Burns’ speech was “mumbled,” his eyes were bloodshot and he was emitting the odor of an intoxicating beverage while speaking.

After denying he had consumed any alcohol, Burns agreed to participate in field-sobriety exercises. He then swayed, took an incorrect number of steps and incorrectly recited the alphabet, a sheriff’s office report states.

Burns was placed under arrest and transported to the Marion County Jail, where he provided breath samples showing .158 and .157 blood-alcohol content. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol (.15 or higher) and released on $1,000 bond, jail records show.