A 76-year-old Florida man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a traffic stop on US Highway 27 in Waverly. Charles Ducking, of Lake Wales, allegedly admitted to drinking rum and using cocaine during the stop, just four months after a separate DUI arrest.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Ducking was pulled over by a deputy who observed him swerving while driving. The deputy detected the odor of alcohol and noticed that Ducking had slurred speech and watery eyes. When asked for his driver's license, Ducking allegedly told the deputy it had been suspended.
During the stop, Ducking showed the deputy a silver thermal cup containing a brown liquid and stated that it was rum he was drinking. Deputies also found a small orange container containing cocaine in Ducking's vehicle, which allegedly prompted him to tell law enforcement that he had used the substance 10 minutes before the stop.
Ducking was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail after displaying several indicators of impairment during field sobriety tests. Breath tests registered blood alcohol concentration readings of .094 and .095, above Florida's .08 legal limit for drivers. He was charged with DUI - fourth or subsequent offense, possession of cocaine, driving with a suspended license, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Ducking has a history of run-ins with the law, including multiple DUI arrests. According to the sheriff's office, he was previously arrested for DUI in May and released from jail after posting bond on the condition that he not possess or consume alcohol.
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