Key Largo man flees from deputies, drives home to avoid DUI arrest

Johnny De Brule locked doors, sped away, deputies say

Johnny De Brule is accused of fleeing from deputies to avoid being arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

KEY LARGO, Fla. – A Key Largo man fled from deputies to avoid being arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, Monroe County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Becky Herrin said.

Sgt. Scott Ward was on patrol Wednesday night, when he noticed a black Dodge Charger that was parked with its engine on outside a business that had been closed for several months, Herrin said.

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Ward approached the man sitting in the driver's seat, identified by his driver's license as Johnny De Brule, 51, and smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from the car, Herrin said.

When Ward asked De Brule to step out of the car and submit to field-sobriety exercises, De Brule refused, Herrin said.

De Brule locked his car doors, slapped Ward's hand away when he tried to reach inside the window to unlock it and sped away, driving south, Herrin said.

"I'm not doing this," De Brule said as he drove away, Herrin said.

Deputies followed De Brule to his home on Bahama Avenue, where he got out of his car and ignored their commands to stop, Herrin said.

De Brule was eventually tackled in front of his house, handcuffed and taken into custody, Herrin said.

He faces charges of driving under the influence, resisting arrest and fleeing and eluding law enforcement.


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.