A Haines City police officer has been fired after he was arrested in Orlando on DUI and reckless driving charges while driving a department patrol vehicle off duty. Joseph Everett's breath sample measured 0.266, more than three times the legal limit, according to a report from wfla.com.
Everett was facing DUI-related charges, including reckless driving, after being pulled over in Orlando, according to clickorlando.com. He was off duty at the time of his arrest but was in a Haines City Police Department patrol vehicle, according to fox35orlando.com. Per the same account, he had also been charged with reckless driving, consistent with reporting from WFTV, which covered the former officer's arrest for multiple criminal traffic violations out of Orlando.
Breath Test Came Back Over Three Times the Legal Limit
Everett received a citation for having an open container in his car and was charged with DUI and reckless driving, the wfla.com report notes. His breath sample measured 0.266 — described in that report as over three times the legal limit. Under Florida law, a driver is considered impaired at a blood- or breath-alcohol level of at least 0.08, according to the Florida Legislature.
There is a discrepancy in reporting about the timing of the incident. One report states Everett was booked into the Orange County jail on October 17, 2026, following an Orlando Police Department arrest, the dailyridge.com account states. Other reports, including the wfla.com account, say Everett was arrested just after midnight on October 18.
Department Cites Violation of General Orders
Haines City Police Chief Isaac Jackson said the reported conduct constituted a serious violation of the department's General Orders. “The reported conduct constitutes a serious violation of the Haines City Police Department's General Orders and raises significant concerns regarding the officer's judgment, professionalism, and adherence to the standards and expectations of this agency,” Jackson said, according to the fox35orlando.com report.
Haines City Police Department confirmed that Everett is no longer with the agency as a result of the incident, per clickorlando.com. Everett had been with the department since July 2026, the same report notes — meaning his tenure lasted only a few months before his termination.
Previous DUI Arrest in Polk County
This is not Everett's first brush with a DUI arrest. The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested him on June 22, 2024, after a supervisor reported smelling alcohol on his breath when he reported for duty, according to the dailyridge.com report. Everett resigned from the Polk County Sheriff's Office upon that arrest, and the DUI charge from the 2024 incident was ultimately dropped in 2025 without a conviction, the same report states.
