Gainesville police officer Daniel Surrency, who arrested a UF baseball player for a DUI, is under internal investigation.
After Surrency arrested Stephen Locke, 22, Surrency wrote in the arrest report that Locke was driving 10 mph under the speed limit and swerved toward incoming traffic. Surrency also wrote that Locke's eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred.
The State Attorney's Office dropped the case on March 7 after reviewing reports and watching the video of the traffic stop that was taken from Surrency's police car.
State Attorney Bill Cervone said although he thought there may have been probable cause for the arrest, probable cause does not equate to proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
"First, Locke lawfully refused to take a field sobriety and a Breathalyzer test," Cervone said. "And the video recording does not show any erratic driving patterns because it was not turned on until right before Locke was pulled over."
There was no behavior such as falling or stumbling when he got out of the car, Cervone said.
In the video, Surrency said that he was calling Ofc. Joey Devore to make the DUI arrest, so GPD would be eligible for a renewal of a federal grant. Sgt. Joe Raulerson said there is no DUI grant. He said Devore was called to handle the arrest so the other officers could resume routine patrol. Each DUI arrest can take up to three hours, he said.
Raulerson said that while watching the video he spotted about five signs that Locke was driving drunk, including failure to make eye contact and swaying back and forth.
