Drunk Lake County deputy crashes into fire hydrant, troopers say

Detention deputy placed on leave

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A Lake County detention deputy was driving under the influence Friday morning when she drove through a stop sign and hit a fire hydrant, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers said they were called to the Scottish Highlands neighborhood in Leesburg at 6:36 a.m. and found a red Ford Focus with front-end damage. The driver, 58-year-old Patricia Schuck, was lethargic, her eyes were bloodshot, she was unsteady, her breath smelled of alcohol and she could not keep her eyes open, the report said.

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Schuck claimed she was on her way to pick up a Lake County Sheriff's Office detention van and she crashed as she was looking down to find her glasses, according to authorities.

A witness had to get Schuck out of the vehicle because it was sinking down into the ground, the report said.

Schuck said she had two glasses of wine at 7:49 p.m. Thursday and half of an Ambien on Friday morning, records show.

Troopers said Schuck failed a field sobriety test and had a blood alcohol content of .203 at 8:47 a.m. and .204 at 8:51 a.m.

She was arrested on charges of DUI, DUI with property damage and careless driving.

An official from the Lake County Sheriff's Office said she has been placed on leave from her job at the Lake County Jail pending the outcome of the investigation.


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