A 37-year-old man is behind bars on DUI and drug-related charges after Marion County deputies say he drove on bare rims and nearly crashed into gas pumps at a local Circle K.
On Tuesday, July 7, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the area of N U.S. Highway 441 and W Highway 318 in Reddick in reference to multiple reports of a vehicle driving in an “extremely reckless manner,” according to the MCSO arrest report.
The deputy reportedly located a blue Dodge Charger traveling southbound on Highway 441 at a slow rate of speed. The deputy noted that the vehicle was observed partially veering off the roadway several times.
According to MCSO, the Charger’s hazard lights were flashing. Both tires on the driver’s side of the vehicle were also reportedly “blown,” with the bare rims “gouging” the surface of the roadway.
The deputy initiated a traffic stop, but the Charger reportedly continued through a red light before pulling into a Circle K gas station in Reddick. The vehicle then allegedly ran over a curb and came “dangerously close” to striking fuel pumps that were being utilized by customers. Â
When the deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Gainesville resident Heriberto Carlos Cruz Ortiz, the deputy observed that Cruz Ortiz was unable to stand on his own due to his alleged impairment, according to the sheriff’s office.
The arrest report further stated that Cruz Ortiz’s speech was heavily slurred. In addition, Cruz Ortiz allegedly struggled to keep his balance and was unable to walk in a straight line.
While speaking with the deputy, Cruz Ortiz mentioned that he was traveling from Gainesville to Ocala to visit his children, according to the report.
An off-duty Alachua County firefighter who had observed Cruz Ortiz’s alleged erratic driving pattern reportedly told authorities that pieces of the Charger’s tires were “strewn about the roadway all the way back into Alachua County.”
The interior of the Charger was searched, and investigators allegedly found open alcohol containers, used Narcan, lighters, and tin foil in plain view. The deputy noted that investigators also located a white crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, multiple prescription pills, and seven large white capsules in the center console that tested positive for fentanyl.
Cruz Ortiz was placed under arrest and transported to Marion County Jail, where he remains in custody on a $11,000 bond. He reportedly refused to provide a breath or urine sample, and a computer check revealed that his driver’s license had previously been suspended for a similar refusal, according to the report.
Jail records show that Cruz Ortiz is facing the following charges: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, possession of fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (three counts), and refusal to submit to DUI testing (subsequent offense).
A court date for Cruz Ortiz has not yet been scheduled.