A Chick-fil-A drive-thru in Nassau County turned into the scene of a DUI arrest last week after an employee called 911 to report that a woman at the window sounded slurred. Deputies pulled the vehicle over and found a 6-year-old and a 1-year-old in the back seat. No injuries were reported.
According to News4JAX, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Robert Grant said deputies who stopped the car conducted field-sobriety checks. The driver’s breath test registered 0.178, which is more than twice Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, and deputies reported finding an open bottle of tequila in the passenger seat. The sheriff's office released video showing deputies administering sobriety tasks, and Grant said the driver was arrested and "will face charges."
Sheriff Slams ‘Poor Choice,’ Vows Extra Holiday Patrols
Sheriff Bill Leeper called the incident "a poor choice" that put the children and everyone else on the road at risk, noting, "Those are children that are relying on her for their safety" and urging residents to "Celebrate safely." As he told News4JAX, deputies will increase patrols looking for impaired drivers ahead of the Fourth of July.
What Florida Law Brings To The Table
Florida law defines driving under the influence and imposes tougher penalties when a driver's blood-alcohol level is 0.15 or higher or when a person under 18 is in the vehicle, per Florida Statute 316.193. Those enhancements can increase fines and jail time and can require ignition-interlock devices if a conviction follows. Depending on the facts, prosecutors could also consider charges under Chapter 827 for abuse or neglect of a child, as set out in Florida Statute 827.03.
Similar DUI Arrests With Kids In The Car
Nassau deputies have made several recent arrests involving alleged impaired drivers with children on board. In mid-June, deputies charged a Jacksonville man after finding three young children in his vehicle, as reported by Action News Jax. These cases underline local officials' warnings about holiday driving and their focus on impaired-driver patrols.
The driver in the Chick-fil-A incident remains in custody and faces charges, and the sheriff's office says the case is under investigation. Officials are again reminding residents to line up a sober driver, use ride services or simply stay home when celebrating.
