Nearly four weeks after a fatal crash on U.S. Highway 441 claimed the life of a motorcyclist, newly released records provide additional details about the investigation that led to the arrest of a Belleview man on a DUI manslaughter charge.
The Belleview Police Department recently released the arrest affidavit for Michael Ryan Durham, 41, who was arrested following a fatal crash in the 10800 block of South U.S. Highway 441 on May 21.
According to the affidavit, officers responded to the crash scene at approximately 6:06 p.m. and found a black GMC pickup truck in the intersection and a silver Harley-Davidson motorcycle lying on its side nearby. The motorcycle rider was found on the ground next to the motorcycle and was later pronounced deceased at the scene.
During the investigation, Durham told officers he was driving to get dinner and did not see the motorcycle before the collision. He stated that the next thing he knew, he had been involved in a crash.
The newly released report states that an officer detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Durham’s breath and observed constricted pupils and thick tongued speech while speaking with him. Investigators subsequently initiated a criminal DUI investigation and administered field sobriety exercises.
According to the affidavit, officers observed multiple indicators of impairment during the exercises. Investigators reported Durham swayed during testing, lost his balance during the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, missed the tip of his nose during a finger to nose exercise, and counted only 12 seconds during what officers described as a 30 second modified Romberg test.
Police said Durham later submitted breath samples that measured .145 and .140, both above Florida’s legal limit of .08.
The affidavit further states that Durham told investigators he had returned home from work at approximately 3:30 p.m., consumed five to six Mike’s Hard Lemonade alcoholic beverages, and left his residence around 6 p.m. to get dinner. The crash occurred approximately six minutes later.
Durham was arrested on a charge of DUI causing death to a human or unborn child.
