A Belleview resident’s Sunday night drive ended with flashing lights, field sobriety tests, and a trip to the Marion County Jail after deputies say he blew through a four-way stop at Sunrise Elementary School going nearly twice the speed limit.
According to an arrest affidavit, Cpl. J. Zezuski of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office clocked a gray Nissan Quest running the stop signs at Marion Oaks Course and SW 147th Place at about 60 mph in a 35-mph zone. When the deputy tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver allegedly pushed it to 82 mph before finally stopping at Highway 484.
Behind the wheel was Alzer Hernandez Velez of Belleview, with a juvenile passenger riding shotgun. Deputies reported the strong smell of alcohol, slurred speech, and difficulty following basic instructions. Field sobriety exercises didn’t go much better, with Velez reportedly swaying, missing his nose during the finger-to-nose test, and reciting the alphabet in song form.
A search turned up a baggie of white powder that tested positive for cocaine, along with two “Mike’s Hard” beverages at the juvenile’s feet—one empty, one half full. Velez later blew a 0.179 and 0.169 on breath samples, more than twice Florida’s legal limit of 0.08.
He was booked on charges including DUI with a BAC over .15, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, child neglect, and failing to obey a lawful command. Deputies noted his bond status as no bond due to the child neglect charge.
