MARION COUNTY, Fla. — Over the weekend Marion County deputies arrested three people found passed out in their cars, who are now facing DUI charges.
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Dashcam video shows Ryan Zimmerman passed out behind the wheel of his car Saturday at the intersection of County Road 475 and SE 32nd Street, with the car still in drive.
You can see a deputy bang on the door to wake him up and that’s when Zimmeran’s car rolled forward and hit the deputy’s cruiser.
“You’re putting other people’s lives in danger because of your own choices and it’s completely concerning and it’s disheartening that people would do this,” said Valerie Strong, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer.
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On Sunday, deputies said they found William Katrishen, also passed out in his car and also in the middle of the road on the 9400 block of E Highway 25.
His blood alcohol level was more than double the legal limit, according to deputies.
That same day deputies got a call about yet another person passed out behind the wheel. This time at a gas pump. Deputies responded and eventually found Gary Ward who he blew more than three times the legal limit.
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“It really upsets me because there is no reason- there are so many opportunities to get a ride now,” said Alicia Morgan, who lost her cousin to an impaired driver.
Morgan’s cousin, Daniel Zack Farmer died in 2022 in Alachua County when he was walking to work.
“He was such a great guy,” said Morgan. “He would help everybody. He was always joking around.”
Morgan now volunteers with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Her mission is to prevent someone else from losing a loved one.
“Over 13,000 people have died annually in America alone because of DUI crashes, last year,” said MADD Central Florida Director Kristi McElroy.
McElroy said there’s no excuse to get behind the wheel impaired.
“We’re not discouraging people from ever abstaining from alcohol, we’re just asking that you drink responsibly and make good decisions before you start drinking,” she said.
Law enforcement agencies across our area, have a continued to work to educate people on the dangers of drunk driving and are cracking down on violators.
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