Richard Edward Shearl, 37, was booked March 12 into Santa Rosa County Jail after an office patrolling Garcon Point Bridge noticed him twice swerve and overcorrect into the oncoming traffic lane.
Per his arrest report, Shearl, who resides at 1651 Ponderosa Drive in Gulf Breeze, was traveling southbound on Garcon Point Bridge around 3:35 a.m. in a red Ford sedan when a cop traveling behind him noticed the vehicle swerve and almost strike the guard rail.
“To keep from striking the guard rail, Richard slammed on his brakes and quickly jerked the vehicle to the left, which cause the vehicle to pass over the center line into oncoming traffic,” stated the arresting officer in Shearl’s arrest report.
That officer also reported seeing Shearl swerve and quickly overcorrect into the oncoming traffic lane a second time.
The report goes on to say that shortly thereafter Shearl also had to “slam on his brakes” to avoid hitting a semi-truck, which was crossing U.S. 98 from Tiger Point Lane, where the officer was able to stop the suspect for suspicion of impaired driving.
The officer reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and ordered the suspect to exit the vehicle. The cop reported Shearl then stated “f— you.”
The officer then went to open the door but said the suspect blocked the handle with his hand.
Another officer on scene then helped get the door open, and Shearl was directed to remove his seat belt. He reportedly replied “f— you pig.”
The second deputy removed the seat belt and ordered the suspect out of the car, but Shearl did not comply.
So both deputies on the scene attempted to remove Shearl from the car, but he resisted by tensing his arms and clenching his fist then grabbing his seat belt and the steering wheel, holding on as they pulled.
The arresting deputy then used his Taser on the suspect’s left arm, resulting in Shearl letting go of the steering wheel and the officers being able to gain control f his arms.
Shearl was placed on the ground and put into double-locked handcuffs before being read his Miranda Rights to which he reportedly replied “f— off pig, I’m not talking to you.”
En route to the jail, Shearl reportedly stated “I need a change of clothes because I s— myself.” He also spontaneously stated that he had an active warrant.
Per the report, at the jail the suspect refused to provide a breath sample, stating “I don’t speak English.”
He was booked into Santa Rosa County Jail for DUI, fleeing/eluding law enforcement with active lights and sirens and resisting arrest without violence.
He was issued a $9,000 bond, but there is a hold on his release by Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
