Over a three-day span, from Friday, April 7 through Sunday, April 9, Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested five individuals who were suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Henmer Eraldo Bonilla Galo, 30, of Ocala
An MCSO deputy clocked a vehicle that was traveling 64 miles per hour in a posted 55-mph zone. The deputy caught up to the vehicle and observed that it was swerving on the road.
A traffic stop was conducted and the deputy made contact with the driver, identified as 30-year-old Henmer Eraldo Bonilla Galo.
According to MCSO, the deputy observed “obvious signs of impairment.” Bonilla Galo failed several field sobriety exercises, and he was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he refused to provide a breath sample.
Bonilla Galo was later released from jail on $2,000 bond, and he is facing misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and refusing to submit to a DUI test. A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
Bairon Roberto Guillen, 31, of Belleview
An MCSO deputy observed a vehicle pull out in front of two other motorists, which nearly caused an accident. A second deputy arrived on scene and assisted with conducting a traffic stop of the vehicle, and contact was made with the driver, identified as 31-year-old Bairon Roberto Guillen.
According to MCSO, the deputy detected an “overwhelming odor of alcohol” coming from Guillen’s breath, and Guillen admitted that he had consumed six Bud Lights before driving. After failing several field sobriety exercises, he was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail.
At the jail, Guillen provided breath samples that revealed he was driving with a breath alcohol content of .249 and .250, which is more than three times the legal limit. In addition, it was discovered that he did not have a valid driver’s license.
Guillen is currently being held at the jail on $5,000 bond. He is facing misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence of alcohol (blood alcohol of .08 or higher) and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, according to jail records.
Jose Ayala, 26, of Ocala
A Marion County citizen contacted the sheriff’s office to report a suspicious vehicle on the side of the road in the area of Juniper Pass. An MCSO deputy located the vehicle and noticed vomit on one of the doors.
The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as 26-year-old Jose Ayala, and the deputy noticed signs of impairment. In addition, the deputy observed an open bottle of beer in the vehicle that was cold, according to MCSO.
An Ocala Police Department officer arrived on scene and assisted with having Ayala perform several field sobriety exercises. After failing these exercises, Ayala was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he provided breath samples revealing a breath alcohol content of .150 and .155, which is nearly twice the legal limit.
Ayala was released from jail on $1,000 bond, and he is facing a misdemeanor charge for driving under the influence of alcohol (blood alcohol of .15 or higher). A court date has been scheduled at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, according to jail records.
Michael Leo Cargill, 34, of Lake County
Two Marion County citizens contacted the sheriff’s office to report a reckless driver on SW Highway 42 in Summerfield. The reports indicated that the driver was swerving across the roadway and had nearly struck other vehicles.
An MCSO deputy located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as 34-year-old Michael Leo Cargill, and signs of impairment were observed, according to the sheriff’s office.
After failing several field sobriety exercises, Cargill was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail. While at the jail, he refused to provide a breath sample.
Cargill was later released from jail on $2,000 bond. He is facing misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and refusing to submit to a DUI test. A court date has been scheduled at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, according to jail records.
Ronny Swearingen, 28, of Summerfield
An MCSO deputy observed 28-year-old Ronny Swearingen at the Wawa gas station on SE Abshier Boulevard. According to the sheriff’s office, Swearingen appeared to be intoxicated, and he was being “loud and disorderly.”
Swearingen proceeded to enter his vehicle and drove away from the gas station. The deputy observed two traffic violations committed by Swearingen, and a traffic stop was conducted.
After making contact with Swearingen, the deputy spotted an open Bud Light on the floor and a bottle of vodka on a seat in the car. The deputy had Swearingen perform several field sobriety exercises, which he failed, and he was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail. While at the jail, he refused to provide a breath sample.
Swearingen was later released from jail on $1,000 bond. He is facing a misdemeanor charge for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
On its Facebook page, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office stated, “Remember, if you see somebody driving a vehicle who you think is impaired, you should call 911 to report it. Of the five (5) impaired drivers arrested by deputies this week, concerned citizens called to report two (2) of them to us.”
The sheriff’s office encourages citizens who are under the influence to “use a designated driver, or call a taxi or a ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft; it’s better than going to jail and cheaper than paying for a lawyer, fines, court costs, and everything else that goes along with a DUI.”