Largo Firefighter Found Passed Out In Car With Foot On Brake

LARGO, FL – The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 26-year-old Largo firefighter for drunk driving.

At about 4:05 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, deputies saw a 2013 Dodge Dart stopped in the intersection of Main Street and Bass Boulevard in Dunedin. The cruiser pulled behind the car and noted the brake lights were activated although there was a green light. The deputy activated the overhead emergency lights to alert the driver but the Dart didn’t move.

When deputies got out of the cruiser to check on the driver, they found Michael Cruz sleeping in the driver’s seat with his foot on the brake and the car in drive.

Deputies knocked on the window several times before Cruz responded. They say they had to help him open the car door and put the car in park.

Deputies said Cruz had bloodshot, glassy eyes and a distinct odor of alcohol on his breath.

Cruz agreed to perform field sobriety tests, but performed poorly on them. He then submitted a breath sample which indicated he had a blood-alcohol level of .141/.143 percent. The legal limit is .08 percent.

Cruz was arrested and charged with one count of DUI. He transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff