DUI Charge Dropped Against Manatee County Commissioner Kruse: Report

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Authorities dropped a driving under the influence charge against Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse this week, more than a year after he crashed his truck into a tree in a Bradenton subdivision, according to documents obtained by WFLA.

The documents were filed in court Tuesday, WFLA reported.

Kruse was initially charged with DUI after an April 2022 incident in which he crashed his truck into a tree in the Greyhawk Landing community, where he lives.

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Deputies with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office didn't arrest the Kruse or file charges against him on the day of the crash. Instead, they let his wife drive him to their nearby home. She later came back to the scene to collect his traffic citation and have the truck towed, bodycam footage showed.

A new traffic citation charging him with driving under the influence was issued about two months after the crash. Kruse paid a $166 fine and attended traffic school, according to court records.

The case was scheduled to go to trial in February, but was postponed after an appeals court reviewed possible evidence suppression in the case, court records showed.