LAKELAND, Fla. — Deputies arrested a man accused of speeding past them and admitting he wouldn't pass a field sobriety test after being pulled over.
Brandon Hayes, a 30-year-old from Polk City and a correctional officer at Polk Correctional Institution, was arrested around 2 a.m. Tuesday on U.S. 98 near Interstate 4, according to a Polk County Sheriff's Office news release. He faces charges of DUI and misuse of tag to avoid registration.
Hayes also serves as a military police officer in the Army Reserve, the agency added.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies caught him going 67 mph in a 45-mph zone. After he was pulled over, they smelled "an alcoholic beverage on his breath" and noticed his "watery eyes," the news release states.
Hayes also allegedly had an Ohio license plate on his car that had a sticker from 2016. When confronted, he told deputies the car hadn't been registered for about 10 years and never was registered in Florida, according to the sheriff's office.
It continues that Hayes said told deputies that he had just left a bar and knew he shouldn't be driving — he wouldn't pass a field sobriety test, either. Deputies ultimately conducted a test and said he failed.
"I'm thankful my deputies got this drunk driver off the road before he hurt or killed someone," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "There is never an excuse to drink and drive. If you’ve been drinking, please don’t drive.
"Plan for a designated driver, call a friend or loved one, or take advantage of the many ride share opportunities available."
Hayes was released from the Polk County jail after paying a $750 bond, the sheriff's office said.
