Florida Man Arrested for DUI After Admitting to Drinking Rum

A 76-year-old man from Florida, identified as Charles Ducking, allegedly confessed during a traffic stop to having drunk rum, and he later indicated that he had also recently used cocaine. This incident follows a DUI arrest just four months earlier, according to local authorities.

Ducking, from Lake Wales, was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy who noticed him swerving on U.S. Highway 27 in Waverly. The deputy immediately detected the smell of alcohol and observed signs of impairment, such as slurred speech and watery eyes.

When asked for his driver’s license, Ducking reportedly stated that it was suspended due to a previous DUI incident. He then admitted, “Well, I can’t show you my driver’s license cuz it’s suspended cuz DUI. And I have been drinking a little bit right now.” The deputy noted that Ducking displayed a silver thermal cup with a brown liquid, which he identified as rum.

After conducting a DUI investigation, the responding deputy recognized Ducking from an earlier DUI arrest in May. A search of Ducking’s vehicle revealed a small orange container with cocaine, leading him to confess that he had “done a line” just ten minutes prior to being stopped.

Field sobriety tests conducted on Ducking indicated multiple signs of impairment, and breath tests showed blood alcohol levels of .094 and .095, which exceed Florida’s legal limit of .08.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd commented on the situation, noting, “While we appreciate Charles Ducking’s cooperation during the traffic stop, the fact of the matter is, he is lucky he hasn’t yet killed someone or himself while driving drunk and high on drugs.” He urged Ducking to reconsider his lifestyle choices before it’s too late and expressed pride in his deputies for their proactive efforts to remove impaired drivers from the roads.

Ducking was subsequently arrested and taken to the Polk County Jail where he faced charges for DUI (his fourth or subsequent offense), possession of cocaine, driving with a suspended license, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Interestingly, Ducking had been arrested for DUI in May, and after posting bond, was released with the condition that he not consume alcohol. Authorities revealed that, dating back to 2001, he has had a total of nine other arrests in Polk County, including several for DUI.