An illegal alien from Ecuador was apprehended on a charge of driving under the influence after partying at the Cowboys bar in Orlando.
An officer was summoned to the area of Plaza Collina Boulevard and East Hwy. 50 about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a Clermont Police Department arrest report. The caller said that the driver of a black Chevrolet vehicle, later identified as 27-year-old Joan Mauricio Morales Cardenas, failed to maintain his lane while accelerating into Clermont.
As the officer approached the intersection of Hancock Road and East Highway 50, he noticed the truck quickly turning left onto Hancock Road. The officer swung around to pursue and saw the truck fail to stay in its lane, exactly as the caller had stated. He then started a traffic stop, and the car moved over to the right side of the road, according to the report.
The officer approached the truck to inspect its interior, which included Morales Cardenas, who was covered in vomit and numerous spilled drinks. Morales Cardenas scrambled around in this chaos, looking for some ID while also shifting the vehicle from park to drive. According to the report, the truck was turned off and did not move, which he appeared to recognize at the time.
Morales Cardenas then grabbed his keys, only to be ordered to leave. He then walked to the back of the truck and rested against it. He described line dancing at the Cowboys Bar in Orlando. He showed the officer an armband from the club and even pulled party-themed glasses from his jeans pocket, according to the report.
His breath smelled like alcohol as he spoke about the bar, and this, combined with his bloodshot, glassy eyes, caused the officer to inquire about sobriety tests. He agreed to do them and removed his boots to ensure his comfort. He was given multiple opportunities to repeat an activity or two, but he struggled to complete them, according to the report.
The officer decided Morales Cardenas was under the influence based on his performance. He later submitted a 0.167 g/210 L breath sample, according to the report.
Additionally, another officer discovered that he was in the United States illegally. As a result, he would be placed on immigration hold, according to the article.
Morales Cardenas was detained for DUI and driving without a license (he had none). The Ecuadorian native was booked into Lake County Jail and held without bond.
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