A 76-year-old man in Florida, Charles Ducking from Lake Wales, was recently stopped while driving on U.S. Highway 27 in Waverly. Despite having a suspended license, Ducking allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he had been drinking rum and had recently used cocaine. This incident occurred only four months after his previous DUI arrest.

During the traffic stop, a sheriff’s deputy noted the smell of alcohol, as well as Ducking’s slurred speech and watery eyes. Ducking allegedly revealed his driver’s license had been suspended due to a DUI. He then presented a silver thermal cup containing what he claimed was rum.
“This here is my rum I’m drinking,” he reportedly told the deputy.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office stated a traffic deputy recognized Ducking from his previous DUI arrest in May. Deputies discovered a small orange container with cocaine in Ducking’s vehicle, leading Ducking to admit he had used cocaine minutes before being pulled over. In sobriety tests, Ducking showed signs of impairment, and breathalyzer tests reported a blood alcohol level above Florida’s .08 legal limit for drivers.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd commented on Ducking’s situation: “While we appreciate Charles Ducking’s cooperation during the traffic stop, the fact of the matter is, he is lucky he hasn’t yet killed someone or himself while driving drunk and high on drugs. He has tempted fate too many times, and he needs to make some serious changes in his life before it’s too late.” He praised his deputies for their proactive actions in identifying impaired drivers.

Ducking was arrested and booked into Polk County Jail with charges including DUI (his fourth or subsequent offense), possession of cocaine, driving with a suspended license, and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to the sheriff’s office, Ducking was previously arrested for DUI in May, released on bond under the condition that he not possess or consume alcohol. He has been arrested nine times in Polk County since 2001, with multiple DUI arrests.