| Date of birth: | Mar 21, 1973 |
| Probable cause affidavit: | SUBMITTED BY: SETTLES, JAMES N048 FWC (AR16-20135) DID DRIVE OR WAS IN THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL CONTROL OF A VESSEL WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, MODEL GLUE OR ANY SUBSTANCE CONTROLLED UNDER CHAPTER 893 OR CHAPTER 877.111 TO THE EXTENT HIS NORMAL FACULTIES WERE IMPAIRED, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTE 327.35(1)(A). ON 7/3/2016 I, OFFICER JAMES SUTTLES N048 OF THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION WAS ON PATROL IN CITRUS COUNTY FLORIDA. AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 P.M. I OBSERVED A VESSEL TRAVELING IN THE CRYSTAL RIVER NEAR THE FORT ISLAND TRAIL COUNTY BOAT RAMP. I DID NOT OBSERVE A VESSEL SAFETY DECAL DISPLAYED ON THE BOAT. I STOPPED THE BOAT FOR A REGISTRATION AND BOATING SAFETY EQUIPMENT INSPECTION. I MADE CONTACT WITH THE OPERATOR JASON BLAIR WHO I LATER IDENTIFIED BY FLORIDA DRIVERâS LICENSE. THE VESSEL WAS DISPLAYING REGISTRATION NUMBER FL 0913 KH. I ASKED MR. BLAIR FOR THE VESSEL REGISTRATION. MR. BLAIR SAID ''DONâT THINK I HAVE IT, ITâS NOT HERE.'' MR. BLAIRâS EYES WERE VERY RED AND BLOODSHOT. HIS EYES WERE GLASSY AND HIS PUPILS WERE VERY LARGE. MR. BLAIRâS SPEECH WAS SLURRED. HE SOUNDED LIKE HIS TONGUE WAS SWOLLEN. I ASKED MR. BLAIR IF HE HAD LIFE JACKETS AND HE WALKED TO THE BOW OF THE BOAT TO RETRIEVE THEM. WHEN MR. BLAIR STOOD UP HE HAD TO GRAB THE HAND RAIL ON THE CONSOLE TO STEADY HIMSELF. HE PUT HIS HAND DOWN ON THE DECK TO KEEP HIS BALANCE. AT THIS TIME WE WERE POSITIONED IN THE SLOW SPEED ZONE IN THE RIVER. THE VESSEL TRAFFIC HAD SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY AND THERE WERE NO WAVES OR WAKES FROM OTHER BOATS. THE WATER WAS CALM AND I HAD NO DIFFICULTY STANDING WITHOUT BRACING MYSELF. MR. BLAIR HAD A HARD TIME OPENING THE HATCH, HE ALSO STRUGGLED TO RETRIEVE THE LIFE JACKETS. HIS ACTIONS WITH HIS HAND WERE SLOW AND HIS BALANCE WAS UNSTEADY, EVEN WHILE HE WAS SEATED. I OBSERVED A BOTTLE OF TEQUILA THAT WAS HALF EMPTY LOCATED NEXT TO THE CENTER CONSOLE WHERE MR. BLAIR WAS SEATED. THE TEQUILA BOTTLE APPEARED TO BE THE HALF GALLON SIZE. I ASKED MR. BLAIR WHERE HE WAS HEADED TO AND HE REPLIED, ''JUST THE BOAT RAMP RIGHT HERE.'' AT THIS TIME I HAD SUSPICION THAT MR. BLAIR WAS IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL. I SECURED MY PATROL VESSEL TO HIS VESSEL AND TOWED IT TO THE BOAT RAMP TO CONTINUE MY INVESTIGATION. AT THIS TIME THE BOAT RAMP WAS ONLY 200 YARDS AWAY. AT THE BOAT RAMP I ESCORTED MR. BLAIR TO THE PARKING LOT THAT WAS PAVED AND FLAT. I ALLOWED MR. BLAIR TO STAND AND WALK AROUND FOR 5 MINUTES TO GAIN HIS BALANCE. I ASKED MR. BLAIR IF HE WOULD PERFORM SOME FIELD SOBRIETY EXERCISES FOR ME AND SAID ''SURE.'' THE FIRST EXERCISE I HAD MR. BLAIR PERFORM WAS THE HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS. I READ THE DIRECTIONS TO HIM FROM A PREPARED TEXT. MR. BLAIR DISPLAYED A LACK OF SMOOTH PURSUIT IN HIS LEFT AND RIGHT EYE. HIS EYES WERE VERY RED AND GLASSY. MR. BLAIR DISPLAYED NYSTAGMUS AT A MAXIMUM DEVIATION IN BOTH HIS LEFT AND RIGHT EYE. I NEXT HAD MR. BLAIR PERFORM THE WALK AND TURN EXERCISE. I READ THE DIRECTIONS FROM A PREPARED TEXT. I USED A WHITE PAINTED LINE IN THE PARKING LOT FOR MR. BLAIR TO STAND ON. MR. BLAIR DID NOT TOUCH HEEL TO TOE AS INSTRUCTED. HE RAISED HIS HANDS TO BALANCE HIMSELF MORE THAN SIX INCHES WHILE WALKING DOWN THE LINE AND BACK UP THE LINE. MR. BLAIR STEPPED OFF THE LINE ON TWO OCCASIONS. STEP NUMBER SEVEN BEFORE THE TURN AND STEP NUMBER THREE AFTER HIS TURN. I NEXT ASKED MR. BLAIR TO PERFORM THE ONE LEG STAND. I READ HIM THE DIRECTIONS FROM A PREPARED TEXT. MR. BLAIR WAS SWAYING WHILE I WAS READING HIM THE DIRECTIONS. HE RAISED HIS ARMS TO BALANCE HIMSELF. HE RAISED HIS ARMS ABOUT A FOOT HIGH. MR. BLAIR DID NOT COUNT OUT LOUD AS INSTRUCTED AND COUNTED REALLY FAST. HE HAD TO PUT HIS FOOT DOWN AFTER 8 SECONDS AND THEN AGAIN AFTER 17 SECONDS. AT THIS TIME I EXPLAINED TO MR. BLAIR THAT HE WAS UNDER ARREST FOR OPERATING A VESSEL WHILE IMPAIRED. I PLACED HIM IN HANDCUFFS AND READ HIM MIRANDA. I ESCORTED MR. BLAIR BACK TO HIS BOAT AND THEN INTO MY PATROL VESSEL. THE VESSEL BEING OPERATED BY MR. BLAIR WAS RELEASED TO THE REGISTERED OWNER AT THE BOAT RAMP. I ESCORTED MR. BLAIR IN MY PATROL VESSEL BACK TO MY PATROL VEHICLE PARKED AT THE CRYSTAL RIVER BUFFER PRESERVE ABOUT ½ MILE AWAY. AT THE PRESERVE I PLACED MR. BLAIR IN MY PATROL TRUCK AND ESCORTED HIM TO THE CITRUS COUNTY JAIL. MR. BLAIR WAS VERY TALKATIVE DURING THE RIDE TO THE JAIL AND MADE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS. ''I KNOW YOUR JUST DOING YOUR JOB, I DIDNâT DRIVE THE BOAT TOO FAR, AND I KNOW I HAD A FEW DRINKS BUT IâM NOT A BAD GUY''. I TURNED OVER CUSTODY OF MR. BLAIR TO THE CITRUS COUNTY JAIL AT APPROXIMATELY 9:35 P.M. THE DEFENDANT'S BOND WAS SET AT $500.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. NO FURTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN. |
| Inmate name: | JASON EDWARD BLAIR |
| Arrest number: | 20135 |
| Arrest date: | Jul 3, 2016 |
| Arrest type: | Misdemeanor |
| Booking location: | Citrus County, FL |
| Code: | 327.35(1)(A) |
| Charge description: | Boat Under Influence 1st Offense - Alcoholic Bev/Controlled Sub |
| Bond amount: | $500 |
