Florida Highway Patrol arrested a man Sunday after he allegedly collided with another car while driving under the influence with a dog in the car.
Jeffery Holland, 58, was driving a gold-colored Saturn when the incident occurred on State Road 26 and NE 47th Street, according to the arrest report. At about 12:15 p.m., the front of the Saturn collided with the rear end of a gray Dodge Ram pickup truck.
According to the report, a passerby got a video on her phone that showed a man with a green athletic jersey and light brown shorts exit the driver’s door of the Saturn. A brown dog then exited out of the window from the same side.
On the video, the suspect was noticeably stumbling. He reportedly fled on foot soon after. Deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office later found him about 200 yards from the crash scene. He was identified as Holland.
While searching the Saturn, a 12-pack of Natural Ice beer was reportedly found on the passenger side floor.
An officer spoke with Holland and noticed the smell of alcohol. According to the report, Holland was unable to perform roadside exercises and refused to give a breath sample. The officer believed Holland’s capabilities were impaired by alcohol, drugs or both.
Holland’s bond is currently set for $20,000. The dog ran from the scene of the crash and was picked by the Alachua County animal control, said Lt. Patrick Riordan, Florida Highway Patrol public information officer. It currently remains in the custody of Alachua County Animal Services.
Follow Jessica Curbelo on Twitter @jesscurbelo and contact her at jcurbelo@alligator.org.
