HAINES CITY, Fla. — A 68-year-old Florida man was charged with driving under the influence after police say he crashed his lawn mower into a police car.
The Haines City Police Department said a department vehicle was parked at Rodriguez Fashion on US-17 while an officer was responding to another matter inside the business.
The officer said he heard a loud noise coming from outside the business and saw Gary Wayne Anderson on a lawnmower with an attached trailer. Police said there was minor damage to the rear plastic portion of the bumper of the officer's car.
Police said Anderson admitted to hitting the vehicle and that he was drunk. He told police he didn't cause any damage.
Anderson was not able to complete field sobriety tests, police said, because "his demeanor ranged from laughing to aggressive," according to a release. Then, after being taken to the police department, Anderson "claimed that he had been poisoned by police and asked to be taken to a hospital."
Police said Anderson was able to provide an adequate breathalyzer sample to medical professionals at Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center. His blood-alcohol content was .241 -- more than three times the legal limit, police say.
Police said Anderson also had cocaine in his system. According to a release, Anderson accused officers of putting the cocaine in his system while directing racial slurs at an officer.
Anderson's driver's license has been suspended since March 1978 and two prior DUI convictions, police said.
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