Bradenton Beach police April 3 arrested Monte Maher, 62, of Bradenton, on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of controlled substances without a prescription.
Bradenton Beach Police Officer Kyle Orms was dispatched to the 100 block of Bridge Street after Maher allegedly struck three bicycles parked along the edge of the roadway.
While completing his investigation of the crash, Orms noticed the smell of alcohol coming from Maher and notified the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which dispatched a deputy to conduct a field sobriety test.
Also, Orms reported seeing a pill fall from Maher’s person when he stepped out of the vehicle for the test. The pill, later identified as Tramadol, a narcotic, was not in a prescription bottle.
Although Maher refused sobriety testing, through the course of the investigation the deputy determined Maher was impaired, according to the report.
He was arrested and taken to the Manatee County jail. He was released after paying a $3,000 bond.
Later at the Manatee County jail, Maher refused a breath test.
A DUI conviction carries the possibility of a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, loss of a driver’s license for six months and 50 hours of community service.
Possession of a controlled substance without a valid prescription is a third-degree felony, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in jail and up to $5,000 in fines.
Maher’s arraignment will be at 9 a.m. Friday, May 12, at the Manatee County Judicial Center in Bradenton.
— Robert Anderson