FL Father Arrested For DUI, Found Passed Out In Truck With Child, 2 Guns: Sheriff

PLANT CITY, FL — A 26-year-old father was arrested Friday evening after deputies found him passed out in the driver’s seat of his truck at a Plant City gas station with his 5-year-old child in the backseat, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

When deputies responded to the Shell gas station at 1665 Branch Forbes Road around 8 p.m., they found Patrick Voegtly of Wimauma passed out in the truck while parked beside a gas pump, the sheriff’s office said.

His child told the deputies, “He’s just sleeping.”

Deputies also saw a handgun in plain view inside the vehicle and a second in his pocket, HCSO said.

During the investigation, deputies noted indications of impairment, including glassy eyes and slurred speech.

Voegtly refused to perform field sobriety exercises, though he did provide a breath sample, which was more than twice the legal BAC limit of .08, according to the agency.

“This reckless decision could have ended in tragedy,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “Driving under the influence is dangerous enough, but doing so with a child in the vehicle while armed shows a complete disregard for the safety of others. Thankfully, deputies intervened before anyone was seriously hurt.”

Voegtly was arrested on charges that include driving under the influence (over 0.15), child neglect, and improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon or firearm.

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