The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Spokane, Washington man for a DUI on Saturday night near Ocean Reef after he left a restaurant impaired and crashed a rental car into several boulders alongside the road.
Samuel Joseph McGetrick, 58, was charged with DUI, DUI with property damage, hit and run and three counts of refusing to sign a citation.
Around 11:49 p.m., deputies responded to Ocean Reef Drive where an Ocean Reef Club employee reported witnessing a vehicle crash into a boulder and a concrete curb in the area.
According to the report, McGetrick was leaving a nearby restaurant when a valet retrieved his car for him. Worried about McGetrick being drunk, several of McGetrick’s friends and the valet asked if he was good to drive, but he said he was fine. The valet alerted the witness about the issue, and the witness followed McGetrick as he left. Shortly after, McGetrick crashed his car into the side of a bridge, but continued to drive down the road until stopped by Ocean Reef Public Safety officers.
McGetrick’s rental car was missing a side mirror, the front passenger tire was deflated and falling off the rim and there were several deep scratches extending along the passenger side. One deputy went and observed the crash scene, noting that several boulders had been hit, and a concrete curb had been stripped of its yellow paint. Furthermore, he recovered the missing side mirror at the scene.
Deputies spoke with McGetrick, who denied being involved in a crash. He also refused to give the deputies his rental car agreement, despite having it in his hand while speaking with them, according to the report. Deputies reported that McGetrick seemed intoxicated but refused to participate in a field sobriety test. Deputies then arrested him, and transported him to the Plantation Key jail.
McGetrick was booked into Plantation Key jail, but was released by Sunday morning.
Information in the Crime Report is obtained from reports provided by area law enforcement agencies.
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