[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 08/12/20]
TAVARES, Florida — An accused drunk driver who crashed into a truck on Main Street and crashed a second time at Tavares Elementary school around 6:30 p.m. Thursday had a BAC twice the legal limit, according to an arrest affidavit.
Two witnesses tried to stop Jason Dare Fechtenburg, 26, from leaving the scene, after he is alleged to have crashed into a parked truck in the 200 block of East Main Street Thursday night. One witness told Tavares Police they believed Fechtenburg was too drunk to drive, according to the affidavit, and the second witness said Fechtenburg fled after hitting the truck and stopped about a block away. That witness followed Fechtenburg and found him stopped about a block away and told him he needed to return to the scene, and took photos of him, his license plate and his gold-colored car, according to the affidavit.
Fechtenburg, of Tavares, then crashed again at Tavares Elementary School (TES), about seven blocks away from the first crash. TPD made contact with Fechtenburg at TES and Fechtenburg, “appeared to sway while standing, appeared inattentive, and frequently began crying and talking to himself,” the affidavit states.
Fechtenburg performed several field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest, according to the affidavit. He was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he provided two breath samples, with a BAC of .16 and .163. Fechtenburg admitted to consuming several alcoholic beverages and believed he was driving on 2nd Avenue in Mount Dora — more than 6 miles away from TES.
Fechtenburg was charged with DUI, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage and two counts of DUI with property damage. He was released on $8,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
