CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. β As Hurricane Debby thrashed parts of Citrus County, an accused drunk driver was on the road before the sheriff himself pulled her over.
According to the sheriff's office, on Monday, Aug. 5, Sheriff Mike Prendergast was on his way to check in on his deputies and assess the status of the roadways. As he was stopped at a traffic light, he reportedly saw a driver spinning her wheels in the lanes next to him.
When the light turned green, the driver, later identified as 38-year-old Candace Wisecup, started driving "erratically" between lanes and kept turning her hazard lights on and off.
Prendergast pulled Wisecup over to check on her and called for backup, the sheriff's office said.
When the sheriff approached the vehicle, he claimed he immediately smelled alcohol on Wisecup's breath and said her speech was slurred.
Wisecup was asked to step out of the car; once she did, the sheriff's office said Prendergast and responding deputies saw several open containers on the front seat. Deputies said they found three "shooters" (a tiny alcohol bottle) empty on the seat, an unopened "shooter" and a nearly-empty beer can.
The woman's cell phone was also on the front seat and was still playing videos, the agency said.
Deputies said Wisecup did "poorly" on a "walk and turn" field sobriety test, but blamed her performance on storm winds preventing her from walking in a straight line.
Deputies said Wisecup didn't listen to their instructions and kept talking over them. She also reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer test. Her license was suspended, too, the agency said.
"Unfortunately, while natural disasters like Hurricane Debby are barreling down on our county, some citizens believe that law enforcement isn't watching," Prendergast said in a statement. "Thankfully, Wisecup was caught and put behind bars before hurting anyone or causing any damage. This should remind everyone that our team is always here to ensure your safety, regardless of the weather.
