The Defendant is a 46 year old male who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease. The Defendant’s symptoms in the form of shaking, stammering of his speech and a head tilt that are readily visible. The Defendant was traveling on Southeast 12th Avenue in Deerfield Beach. An accident unrelated to the Defendant was down the road and was being investigated by BSO and was being filmed for a television show “Police Women of Broward County”. As the Defendant was slowly driving due to traffic from the accident up ahead, a female officer being filmed for the television show came from nowhere, pounded on the Defendant’s window and ordered him to pull over immediately. The Defendant drove 20-30 feet and pulled over on his own. The female officer made contact with the Defendant and noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage from a beer he had just opened by the Defendant before being stopped; bloodshot eyes, “slurred speech”, among other indicators of impairment. A DUI investigator was called to the scene and asked the Defendant to perform roadside exercises and he did so poorly> The defendant was then arrested for DUI and for Felony Fleeing and Eluding for failing to Stop immediately at the request of the female officer. After an investigation by the firm, it was established that the female officer exaggerated her behavior for purposes of her appearance on television and that the defendant’s performance during roadside exercises was caused by his Parkinson’s Disease. We were also able to prove that the only alcohol consumed was one sip of the beer he had just opened. All Criminal charges were dropped by the State.
DUI & Criminal Division
