[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 08/24/20]
EUSTIS, Florida — A Villages man who blew a BAC three times the legal limit more than two hours after crashing into two vehicles several miles away from each other was charged with DUI and leaving the scene of a crash Thursday afternoon.
Bradley James Botkin, 48, is accused of rear-ending a vehicle at U.S. Highway 441 and Spring Harbor Boulevard, fleeing the scene and colliding with another vehicle as he attempted to merge onto South Bay Street off of U.S. Highway 441, according to an arrest affidavit. One of the victims followed Botkin was able to get him to pull over at St. Mary’s Church, 218 Ocklawaha Avenue, Eustis.
Eustis Police responded to the church shortly after 3 p.m. and when they arrived, an officer found the vehicle reported to be involved, a black Mercedes with Ohio tags, parked with its front wheels over the parking stop. The vehicle was also missing a tire and appeared to have been driving on the wheel for a “significant amount of time,” and had damage to the front fender and front bumper, the arresting officer noted in the affidavit. Botkin, who was found resting against a concrete wall, told EPD he ran from both scenes because he scared and recently released from alcohol rehab. Botkin was incoherent and his pupils were constricted, a sign of narcotics use, the officer noted.
EPD performed field sobriety exercises, which he was unsuccessful at performing and Botkin was transported to EPD where he first refused a breath sample, but later consented, according to the affidavit. He blew a .243 at 5:11 p.m. and a .240 at 5:13 p.m. — both at or more than three times the legal limit.
Botkin was issued a criminal citation by Mount Dora Police Department for the crash in its jurisdiction and he was transported to the Lake County Jail by EPD and charged with DUI and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage. He was released Friday on $1,000 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]
