A previously deported suspect has been taken into custody again in Florida.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit apprehended the suspect on DUI and other traffic charges in Central Florida. According to local law enforcement, he was in the country illegally and was previously deported to Mexico by ICE following a DUI arrest.
Deputies performing speed enforcement on Interstate 4 saw a white Cadillac Escalade moving at excessive speeds and being driven carelessly. A deputy’s radar detected the Escalade at 100 mph in a 70 mph zone while weaving in and out of other vehicles, leading other drivers to take evasive action and/or slam on their brakes.
When the deputy stopped the Escalade, he noticed clear indicators of impairment in the driver, 34-year-old Rolando Perez Hernandez of Zephyrhills. Hernandez was arrested, and his breath alcohol concentration was detected. 170g/210L (more than double the legal limit), according to law officials.
“It’s a miracle this suspect, with his blatant disregard for our laws, didn’t kill someone or himself the way he was recklessly speeding and driving drunk on I-4,” said Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff. “It is our hope that once he’s deported again, he stays out of the United States for good—and we will do everything we can to ensure that happens.”
According to the PCSO, Hernandez’s license was revoked in April 2022 due to a DUI arrest, and he was deported. He illegally returned to the nation in 2024. He was charged with driving with a suspended or revoked license, DUI of .15 or above, dangerous excessive speed, and reckless driving.
Because of his illegal status, each of these offenses has been elevated by one level. He was detained under an ICE hold at the Polk County Jail.
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