The Flagler County Sheriff’s office on Monday arrested 60-year-old Howard Johnson, a fugitive from Indiana, for allegedly driving under the influence. Johnson is a resident of Bird of Paradise Drive in Palm Coast, and is now awaiting potential extradition to Indiana.
Johnson’s arrest came after he was called in by a citizen who noticed him reportedly driving erratically. A deputy found Johnson’s Ford pickup truck as it departed the RaceTrac gas station at SR-100 and Old Kings Road. He was said to have driven through a do-not-enter sign and crossed through three lanes into the left turn lane, before then running the red light to make a U-turn.
When a deputy pulled Johnson over, the FCSO says, he was acting nervously and slurring his speech. “I’m trying to get home before my wife kills me,” he said to a deputy in bodycam footage of his arrest. An open beer can was reportedly visible on the passenger side floor.
A field sobriety test was conducted, during which Johnson was said to have been unable to remain still. He was described as having smelled of alcohol. Some of the exercises Johnson was asked to perform were too much for him in his present state, the FCSO says.
Johnson was then placed under arrest after being determined to be unable to drive safely. A further search of his vehicle was conducted, leading deputies to find multiple other open containers of alcoholic beverages.
After his arrest, Johnson was booked into the Flagler County jail on Monday, charged with driving under the influence (fourth or more offense), refusal to submit for DUI testing, driving with a suspended license, and refusal to accept or sign his citation. The second of these charges came after he refused to submit to a breathalyzer test at the jail, the FCSO says. His bond was set at $81,000 and he remains in custody as of Thursday.
According to the FCSO, Johnson has four convictions in Indiana for driving under the influence. He’s said to currently be a fugitive from justice in Lake County, Indiana on multiple charges including dealing cocaine, possession of a firearm by a violent felon, and operating a vehicle while impaired endangering a person.
“When you decide to get behind the wheel of the car, you take on the responsibility of operating that vehicle sober and safely,” said Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly. “Within seconds of leaving the gas station, Johnson had committed several traffic violations and was a clear risk to everyone around him. Because a vigilant citizen ‘saw something and said something,’ a dangerous drunk driver was taken off the roadway and a fugitive was apprehended.”
I wish they would make the DUI penalties stiffer. 1st offense, 30 days behind bars, loss of license for 1 year and 10K fine. 2nd offense, 6 months behind bars, loss of license for 5 years and 30K fine. 3rd offense, loos license forever, 10 yrs behind bars and 50k fine. Of course if they are in an accident and found to be drunk and someone get hurt or killed the penalties are stiffer yet.