Florida man, 76, arrested for DUI after admitting to drinking rum and using cocaine

<p>A 76-year-old man from Lake Wales, Florida, was arrested for driving under the influence after allegedly admitting to drinking rum and using cocaine during a traffic stop. Charles Ducking was pulled over on U.S. Highway 27 in Waverly after a sheriff's deputy observed him swerving, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>The deputy detected an odor of alcohol and noted Ducking's slurred speech and watery eyes. When asked for his driver's license, Ducking stated that it had been suspended due to a previous DUI arrest.</p><p>According to the sheriff's office, Ducking told the deputy, "Well, I can't show you my driver's license cuz it's suspended cuz DUI. And I have been drinking a little bit right now." He then showed the deputy a silver thermal cup containing a brown liquid, saying, "This here is my rum I'm drinking."</p><p>A traffic deputy who responded to conduct a DUI investigation recognized Ducking from a previous DUI arrest in May. During a search of Ducking's vehicle, deputies found a small orange container containing cocaine, which led Ducking to admit he had "done a line" 10 minutes before being pulled over.</p><p>During field sobriety tests, Ducking exhibited several signs of impairment, and breath tests indicated blood alcohol concentration readings of .094 and .095, exceeding Florida's legal limit of .08 for drivers.</p><p>Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd commented on the incident, stating, "While we appreciate Charles Ducking's cooperation during the traffic stop, the fact of the matter is, he is lucky he hasn't yet killed someone or himself while driving drunk and high on drugs. He has tempted fate too many times, and he needs to make some serious changes in his life before it's too late." Judd also praised his deputies for their efforts in identifying impaired drivers.</p><p>Ducking was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail, facing charges of DUI — fourth or subsequent offense, possession of cocaine, driving with a suspended license, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The sheriff's office noted that Ducking had been previously arrested for DUI in May and had been released from jail days later on the condition that he not possess or consume alcohol. Ducking has a total of nine other arrests in Polk County dating back to 2001, including multiple DUI arrests.</p>