Holmes Beach police arrested four people over the course of 72 hours, from Aug. 19-21, for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
Those arrested include Michael Boyd, 54, Chad Clifford, 43, and David Garcia, 42, all of Bradenton, and Sebring resident Paul Tertan, 52.
All but Tertan — who was charged with a first-degree misdemeanor since it was his third DUI charge in 10 years — received second-degree misdemeanor charges.
All four will be arraigned at 8:55 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
If convicted, punishment for a first-degree misdemeanor includes up to one year in jail, one year of probation and a fine of up to $1,000.
Punishment for a second-degree misdemeanor includes up to 60 days in jail, six months of probation and a fine of up to $500.
Boyd’s arrest
Holmes Beach Police received reports around midnight Aug. 19 that an apparently intoxicated motorist was driving westward over the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue.
Two officers located and stopped the motorist, Boyd, in the 100 block of 18th Street.
Boyd had slurred speech and “watery, glassy, dilated” eyes, as well as exaggerated body movements, according to a report.
Also, officers smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage.
They asked Boyd to perform field sobriety exercises but he refused, and he was arrested.
They brought Boyd back to the HBPD for processing, where he refused to provide a breath sample.
Boyd was taken to the Manatee County jail and released the same day after posting $120 bond.
Clifford’s arrest
An officer clocked a motorist driving 48 mph in a 35-mph zone and swerving over traffic lines around 3 a.m. Aug. 19, and a traffic stop was conducted.
The officer spoke with the driver, Clifford.
Clifford’s breath smelled of an alcoholic beverage, his eyes were “watery and glassy” and he did not know the speed limit or the speed at which he was traveling, according to the police report.
Clifford said he had just left an island bar and had two alcoholic drinks before driving.
The officer asked Clifford to perform field sobriety exercises, which he consented to and failed.
The officer arrested Clifford and transported him to the HBPD for processing, where he refused to provide a breath sample.
An officer then transported Clifford to the Manatee County jail, where he was released the same day after posting $120 bond.
Garcia’s arrest
An officer saw a motorist driving a pickup west on Manatee Avenue around 2 a.m. Aug. 21 with a “large tree branch hanging off the bed of the truck and dragging down the road.”
The officer followed the motorist to a residence where, once parked, he spoke with the driver, Garcia, who had exited the vehicle and started yelling profanities.
Garcia was swaying to the point of almost falling over while standing and admitted to “having drank and being drunk prior to driving,” according to a report.
The officer asked Garcia to perform field sobriety exercises, which he failed.
The officer transported Garcia to the HBPD, where he provided a breath sample of 0.191 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. He refused to provide a second sample.
The state’s legal blood alcohol level limit for driving under the influence is 0.08.
Garcia was taken to the jail. He was released the same day after posting $120 bond.
Tertan’s arrest
The HBPD received a request from the Bradenton Police Department around 4 p.m. Aug. 20 to assist in a DUI investigation on the Palma Sola Causeway in the 8400 block of Manatee Avenue.
A BPD officer had witnessed a crash involving Tertan, who seemed confused and had “constricted pupils and slow movements.”
Tertan failed field sobriety exercises, so the HBPD officer arrested him and transported him to the HBPD for processing.
There, he refused to provide a breath sample.
An officer transported Tertan to the HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton for medical treatment.
He was transported Aug. 21 to the Manatee County jail, where he was released later that day after posting $15,000 bond.
Tertan was charged with a first-degree misdemeanor since it was his third DUI arrest in 10 years, as well as two other first-degree misdemeanors for DUI property damage.
Did you know?
The average DUI costs $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, and more.
And, on Anna Maria Island, a DUI citation is recorded and reported in The Islander newspaper.
People who see a drunk driver, can call 911.