A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy who usually works the District I street crimes unit was arrested Saturday after a traffic stop in Citrus Park, the agency said. The deputy, identified as 32-year-old Richard Michael Garcia, is facing charges of driving under the influence and refusing to submit to testing. According to the sheriff's office, Garcia has been placed on administrative leave without pay while the case is reviewed. The stop happened near Gunn Highway and Normandie Road.
As reported by WTSP, the traffic stop took place May 30 at the intersection of Gunn Highway and Normandie Road. The station reported that HCSO told investigators Garcia refused to participate in standardized field sobriety exercises and declined to give a breath sample. Deputies then arrested and booked him on DUI and refusal-to-submit charges.
The arrest lands at an awkward time for the agency, which has been touting its crackdown on impaired driving. In a recent release, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said deputies arrested 36 impaired drivers over a Memorial Day DUI enforcement period, underscoring an ongoing push to keep impaired drivers off local roads, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office press statement.
What Refusing a Breath Test Can Mean in Florida
Under Florida law, drivers are subject to implied-consent rules that make refusing chemical testing its own offense, and that refusal can be used against a defendant at trial. Florida Statutes sections 316.1932 and 316.1939 provide that a first refusal is typically a second-degree misdemeanor that can bring criminal penalties and an administrative driver's license suspension, while repeat refusals carry harsher penalties. Florida Statutes outline those provisions and address how refusal can be admitted in court.
Garcia joined the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in November 2020, the agency told WTSP. Authorities have not yet released a court date. The sheriff's office said the criminal investigation and any internal administrative actions are still underway, and Garcia remains on unpaid administrative leave, according to WTSP.
