ORLANDO, Fla. – A Central Florida doctor is accused of spitting blood in the face of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper who was trying to arrest him on drunken driving charges.
Troopers say Zachary Charles Bird, 41, was pulled over by troopers on State Road 417 Sunday morning after he almost collided his BMW with a marked FHP patrol car. Troopers conducted field sobriety tests before arresting Bird, who is a doctor of anesthesiology for Team Health and is contracted at the Parrish Hospital.
Dash camera video caught Bird in the patrol car after he was arrested, as he "repeatedly striking his head against the cage partition and the right rear passenger door, which resulted in a large laceration that bled profusely," according to the FHP report. Bird also tried to kick open the right rear door, causing damage to the door.
You can view the video by clicking here, but warning, the video is graphic and contains profanity.
As Bird was thrashing around the car, he says in the video, "I see Officer Lynch and Officer Casselberry putting money into their pockets."
According to the report, the trooper then opened the door and tried to calm Bird down, who then spit a mouthful of blood in the trooper's face. Bird then tried to break away.
Troopers found $54,000, two guns and two prescription bottles with unidentified pills and liquid, according to the report. As authorities searched his car, he said "Document that money, (expletive). You officers are stealing my money."
Troopers believe Bird was upset authorities were confiscated his money and that's why he responded violently. He refused a drug and alcohol test and treatment at the hospital, according to the report.
Bird has been charged with driving under the influence, two counts of damage of property, one count of resisting an officer with violence and battery on an officer.
FDLE is testing the pills found in his car and results are expected back in a few weeks.
Parrish Hospital officials told Local 6 they have asked his employer, Team Health, to not allow Bird to return to the hospital because of the "seriousness of the allegations."