A New York man and retired Air Force officer was arrested after driving drunk into a hotel building and a Alachua County Sheriff's Office deputy’s car Monday, Florida Highway Patrol and ACSO said.
Walter Chuck Christie, 55, pulled up to Holiday Inn Express, located at 3905 SW 43rd St., got out of his silver Volvo and fell into the bushes at about 1:40 p.m., a hotel manager told police, according to an arrest report. He went into the hotel to demand a room and refused to leave when the manager told him the hotel was full. He told the manager he was sent by President Donald Trump and General John Kelly, ACSO said.
A witness saw Christie stumble to his car and distracted him until police arrived.
A responding deputy stopped Christie while he was sitting in his car and asked for his license. Christie yelled he was a federal officer and drove away with his car door still open, according to the report. He crashed his car into the hotel building, reversed and hit the deputy’s car with his car.
Although his car was not drivable after the crash, Christie refused to get out of the driver's seat and held onto the steering wheel, according to the report. He was tased twice before he released the steering wheel and was arrested.
Christie was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital in Kanapaha for minor injuries, deputies said. He told police he was a retired Air Force major and thought he was in Tennessee or Illinois.
FHP said Christie’s license was revoked, and he had four prior DUI offenses in other states.
Christie was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, causing damage while driving drunk, driving with a suspended licence, aggravated assault, trespassing and resisting an officer. He was taken to the Alachua County Jail where he remains, as of press time, in lieu of a $70,000 bond.
