Man charged resisting arrest in DUI case

A 49-year-old Marathon man fled from Deputies in an attempt to run out of the Marathon substation DUI room where he was first taken after his arrest.

Stephen Albert Cruce was charged with DUI, three counts of resisting arrest, battery on a law enforcement officer and driving without a license.

Deputy Megan Faison responded to the Publix® grocery store at 3:36 a.m. Monday regarding a disturbance. An employee there stated a man in a green shirt and white hat tried to attack him, but then left in a silver car. The employee stated the man appeared to be intoxicated.

Deputy Faison found a vehicle matching the description driving through the Walgreens® parking lot. Deputy Faison attempted to stop the car. The car did not stop until it was near the Marathon Veterinary Hospital.

The driver, later identified as Cruce, initially refused to lower his window and appeared surprised to see Deputy Faison. Cruce stumbled on his feet, smelled of alcohol, his speech was slurred, he kept forgetting instructions from Deputy Faison and he otherwise appeared to be intoxicated. He began arguing with Deputy Faison about the stop. Cruce initially agreed to do field sobriety exercises then refused. He was arrested at that time.

While at the Marathon DUI room, Cruce began yelling why he was arrested, forgetting numerous times. Cruce refused numerous times to sit down. At one point, he ran out of the DUI room. He began pulling away from Deputies and was taken to the ground. One of his elbows struck Sgt. Lissette Quintero as they were attempting to restrain Cruce. Cruce refused to move after Deputies restrained him and laid in the hallway, motionless, whilst yelling obscenities. Paramedics were called to treat a cut to Cruce’s cheek.

Curce refused to provide a breath sample. Cruce continued to yell.

While transporting Cruce to the Marathon jail, he went limp and he refused to walk. Three Deputies carried him. Deputies had to pull him into and out of the backseat of a patrol car.

While at jail it was learned Cruce was only supposed to be driving for employment reasons due to previous DUIs, of which he has six. He was also only supposed to be using a car with an ignition interlock device. This incident marked his third interlock violation.

Cruce was booked into jail.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]