On January 7, 2025, Haines City Police Officer Sean Bruner was patrolling his assigned beat, when a concerned citizen called in on 911, regarding an unresponsive driver in the area of Davenport Blvd. When Officer Bruner arrived, he observed the driver, Miguel Anguel Rodriguez, unresponsive behind the wheel with his foot on the brake, the car in gear, and the engine running.
Concerned for the safety of the driver and other motorists, Officer Bruner positioned his patrol car in front of Rodriguez’s vehicle, to prevent it from lunging forward into traffic. Officer Bruner then attempted to wake Rodriguez, but was unsuccessful. Officer Bruner then had to force entry into the passenger-side window, so he could put the vehicle in park, and remove the keys from the ignition. Once inside the vehicle, Officer Bruner observed Rodriguez briefly open his eyes and enter in and out of consciousness, unaware of the events unfolding. Officer Bruner also observed 12 opened and consumed bottles of wine inside the vehicle.
Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and transported Rodriguez to the hospital, where tests confirmed dangerously high levels of alcohol in his system.
“This incident underscores the serious dangers of driving under the influence. We are grateful for the citizen who contacted law enforcement and that no one was injured. We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our roads safe from impaired drivers and will hold Mr. Rodriguez accountable for his actions.” – Police Chief Greg Goreck
Miguel Anguel Rodriguez was charged with one count of DUI, indicating a Blood Alcohol Content of .523. The legal presumption of impairment in the State of Florida is a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 or higher. Rodriguez does not
have any prior DUI arrests, but does has a history of miscellaneous traffic citations. Chief Goreck stated that he has almost 30 years in law enforcement, over ten of those exclusively dedicated to Traffic Homicide and DUI investigations, and that Rodriguez’s BAC was the highest level he remembers seeing, where the driver was still alive.
