An Ocala man whose license has been permanently revoked for having more than four DUIs on his record, was arrested on another DUI charge.
On May 25, a Marion County Sheriff’s deputy reported that he saw a truck being driven by 58-year-old James Witherspoon that was severely damaged and had an unreadable tag.
After conducting a traffic stop, the deputy said he could smell a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the vehicle. When asked for his license, Witherspoon stated he did not have a valid license and that it was suspended.
The deputy, who said the man’s conversation was slurred and his eyes appeared to be bloodshot, observed a “Busch” beer beverage in the cup holder. Witherspoon initially said he only consumed three Busch beers, according to the sheriff’s report.
Witherspoon refused to complete a sobriety test and changed his statement to consuming six beers. He also refused to provide a breath sample, according to the report.
Witherspoon was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail with a set bond of $21,000. Witherspoon was charged with a DUI for refusal to submit a DUI test, a moving traffic violation and a DUI fourth offense. He has a court date set for June 29 at 9:00 a.m., jail records show.