Lawnmower on highway leads to DUI

A Central Florida man was arrested last week after a deputy pulled him over for driving a lawnmower on a Marion County highway and refusing to take a field sobriety test, authorities said.

Paul Burke, of Fort McCoy, was arrested on Aug. 5, taken to Marion County Jail and faces a driving under the influence charge, according to Marion County Sheriff ’s Office.

Burke had three prior DUI convictions to the incident and had his license suspended three times as well as revoked four times, all for previous DUIs and refusals to submit a blood test, according to a release from the sheriff ’s office.

An MCSO deputy spotted Burke driving a lawnmower slowly on west Highway 316 Wednesday evening where the speed limit is 55 mph.

The deputy reported the smell of alcohol emanating from Burke.

Body camera footage shows the deputy asking Burke to take a sobriety test, but Burke repeatedly refused.

“There’s no sense in it,” Burke said. “Because I’ve been drinking.”

Burke continued the exchange with the deputy that he had no license and stated, “I have had a little bit too much to drink.”

When asking where he was going, Burke responded by explaining he left home to drive around on his lawnmower and was in the process of returning home. Burke then asked if it would be possible to get a ticket and move on from the incident since he was not capable of performing the sobriety test. The deputy ignored the request and asked one more time if Burke wanted to do the exercises to prove his sobriety.

“No sir. Just take me to jail,” Burke said.

The deputy then asked Burke politely to turn around and put his hands behind his back so he could arrest him.