MIAMI, Fla. (January 11, 2020) — A Miami rap artist will face a judge after his arrest on DUI and cocaine possession charges. The rapper allegedly fell asleep behind the wheel of his Range Rover sports utility vehicle and drove off of the road, according to a report appearing on nbcmiami.com. The incident happened on a Saturday morning in the Miami area. The driver of the Range Rover was arrested for DUI after admitting drinking several alcoholic beverages and failing a standardized field sobriety exam. The police learned that the rapper already had an arrest warrant for DUI when they stopped him. There was no information available about the man’s bond status. *
Officers reported that they received numerous calls about a Range Rover SUV running red lights and hitting traffic signs. A Miami police officer found the man behind the wheel of a Range Rover asleep. The officer began a field interrogation and learned that the man consumed five drinks containing alcohol in a Miami Gardens nightclub earlier in the night. In addition to the rapper’s admission to having a few drinks, the officer observed the rapper to have typical signs of intoxication: eyes that were bloodshot, watery, and glassy, slurred speech, and the scent of an alcoholic drink coming from the man’s breath. Furthermore, the officer administrated a field sobriety test to the rapper, which the rapper failed. The officer placed the local rap star under arrest.
Police inventoried his belongings during the booking process at the police station. The police found a quantity of cocaine in his belongings. They did not indicate what the cocaine weighed. The police also learned that the man had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a previous DUI charge. Additionally, the officers noted that the man had been arrested before and faced prosecution on charges involving guns and drugs. The article did not indicate the bond amount the rapper was required to post.
DUI penalties in Florida vary greatly depending on the severity of the crime. Under 316.193 of the Florida Statutes, a person who is convicted of a first offense DUI could be sent to jail for up to six months and pay a fine between $500.00 and $1,000.00. However, the potential jail sentence could be higher if the person was convicted of DUI before this incident or gave a breath or blood sample that yielded a result of 0.15% or greater. Additionally, if the subject gives a blood or breath test that exceeds 0.15%, then he or she must use an interlocking device on his or her vehicle’s ignition.
Causing property damage in a crash while driving under the influence could expose the suspect to more serious crimes. Driving under the influence and causing a crash that results in property damage is a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida. A person convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor faces up to one year in the county jail.
A conviction for a second DUI offense could require a jail term of up to nine months, with ten days to be served if the previous conviction happened within the previous five years. Also, a second DUI conviction in Florida will result in a longer period of license loss and placement of an ignition interlock device.