A 76-year-old Florida man with a suspended driver’s license allegedly acknowledged during a traffic stop that he had been drinking rum and later told deputies he had recently used cocaine, authorities said. The incident occurred just four months after a separate DUI arrest.
Charles Ducking of Lake Wales was stopped after a Polk County sheriff’s deputy allegedly saw him swerving along U.S. Highway 27 in Waverly, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy reportedly smelled alcohol and observed that Ducking had slurred speech and watery eyes.
When the deputy asked to see his driver’s license, Ducking allegedly said it had been suspended.
Authorities said Charles Ducking told a Polk County sheriff’s deputy that his license had been suspended because of a DUI and admitted he had been drinking. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office; TW Farlow/Getty Images)
“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 said, according to the sheriff’s office.
Ducking then reportedly showed the deputy a silver thermal cup filled with a brown liquid, officials said.
“This here is my rum I’m drinking,” Ducking said, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies arrested 76-year-old Charles Ducking in Polk County, Florida, after authorities said he admitted to drinking rum and using cocaine recently during a traffic stop. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
A traffic deputy who arrived to investigate a possible DUI recognized Ducking from a previous DUI arrest in May, the sheriff’s office said.
During a search of Ducking’s vehicle, deputies reportedly found a small orange container with cocaine. Officials said Ducking then told them he had “done a line” about 10 minutes before the traffic stop.
Ducking showed several signs of impairment during field sobriety tests. Breath tests recorded blood alcohol concentrations of .094 and .095, both above Florida’s legal limit of .08 for drivers.
“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,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
“He has tempted fate too many times, and he needs to make some serious changes in his life before it’s too late,” Judd added. “I am proud of my deputies for their proactive patrolling to find impaired drivers and get them off the road.”
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd (left) stands with Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey (center) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right) at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on April 19, 2021. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Ducking was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail. He faces charges of DUI—fourth or subsequent offense—possession of cocaine, driving with a suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The sheriff’s office said Ducking had previously been arrested for DUI in May. He was released from jail several days later after posting bond, with a condition prohibiting him from possessing or consuming alcohol.
Officials said Ducking has been arrested nine other times in Polk County since 2001, including multiple DUI arrests.
