Over the past week, Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested five men who were suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Donald William Skopec, 61, of Wisconsin
A citizen contacted the sheriff’s office to report that a camper had backed into a power box on SW 97th Terrace in Ocala. An MCSO deputy arrived on scene and made contact with the driver of the camper, identified as 61-year-old Donald William Skopec.
According to MCSO, Skopec exhibited several signs of impairment, and he told the deputy that he had “several beers” and “three to four shots of Fireball.” After his poor performance in several field sobriety exercises, Skopec was placed under arrest for driving under the influence.
Skopec was transported to Marion County Jail, and he provided two breath samples with a breath alcohol content of .252 and .254, which is over three times the legal limit. He was later released from jail on $1,000 bond, and he is facing a misdemeanor charge for driving under the influence with property damage.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16, according to jail records.
John Dixon Goggins, 66, of Ocala
An MCSO deputy observed a vehicle driving westbound in the eastbound lane of Highway 326, and a traffic stop was conducted. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as 66-year-old John Dixon Goggins.
According to MCSO, the deputy could smell alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. The deputy asked Goggins how much he had to drink, and Goggins responded by stating, “Just a few beers.”
Goggins failed several field sobriety exercises, and he was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. During a pat-down search, a pipe with cocaine residue was found in his pocket.
After being transported to Marion County Jail, Goggins provided two breath samples with a breath alcohol content of .096 and .093. He was later released from jail, and he is facing misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence (breath alcohol of 0.08 or more) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
Shayne Harris Phelps, 57, of Citra
An MCSO deputy observed a vehicle stopped in a crosswalk at a red light on Pine Avenue in Ocala. When the light turned green, the vehicle accelerated quickly and drifted across all lanes of traffic.
The deputy conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and made contact with the driver, identified as 57-year-old Shayne Harris Phelps. The deputy could smell alcohol coming from Phelps’ breath and his speech was slurred. He told the deputy that he had “a couple of beers,” according to MCSO.
After Phelps failed several field sobriety exercises, he was arrested for driving under the influence. Upon arrival at Marion County Jail, he refused to provide a breath sample. He is currently being held on $1,000 bond, and he is facing a misdemeanor charge for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13, according to jail records.
John Tyler Russell, 27, of Umatilla
Two MCSO deputies responded to the 13500 block of E Highway 25 in Ocklawaha, and they located a man – later identified as 27-year-old John Tyler Russell – who was passed out behind the steering wheel of a white Toyota Prius at the intersection of SE 135th Avenue.
The deputies attempted to wake Russell by knocking on his window, rocking the car back and forth, and sounding the patrol car’s emergency siren. Eventually, Russell became alert and stepped outside his vehicle, according to MCSO.
Russell failed several field sobriety exercises, and he was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. During a pat-down search, a dollar bill with a white substance was found inside his wallet, and the substance field-tested positive for cocaine.
After being transported to Marion County Jail, Russell refused to provide a urine sample. He was later released from jail on $5,000 bond, and he is facing a felony charge for possession of cocaine. In addition, he is facing misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
Hardutt Ramnarain, 62, of Summerfield
An MCSO deputy with a K-9 partner observed a vehicle that did not have any operable rear taillights. A traffic stop was conducted, and the deputy made contact with the driver, identified as 62-year-old Hardutt Ramnarain.
The deputy observed several signs of impairment and asked Ramnarain how much he had to drink. Ramnarain told the deputy that he “only had two beers.” After performing poorly in several field sobriety exercises, he was arrested for driving under the influence, according to MCSO.
Upon arrival at Marion County Jail, he provided one breath sample with a breath alcohol content of .192, which is more than twice the legal limit. A second breath sample was requested, and he pretended to blow air instead of providing the sample.
Ramnarain was later released from jail on $1,500 bond, and he is facing misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and refusal to submit to DUI testing.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 16, according to jail records.
The Marion County 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. MCSO states that these options are “better than going to jail and cheaper than paying for a lawyer, fines, court costs, and everything else that goes along with a DUI.”