Saturday October 26 2024 Okala Florida police were conducting a routine Patrol when they came across a vehicle swerving in its Lane officers decided to pull it over to check on the driver's condition and prevent anything worse from happening I'm Tyler and this is your daily dose of crime well I'm officer away with the clont police department the reason why I stopped you is because you kept going over this the white white line right here you going over it you went over it twice real real bad other reason too you were doing 70 back there when we were behind you0 and we're in a 50 the officers approached the vehicle and as soon as they explained to the driver the reason for the stop it wasn't only for erratic driving it was also because he was speeding at 20 mph over the limit the driver was identified as Michael Randolph the principal of leeburg high school who explained that he had just come from a football game where his students were playing however this had nothing to do with the actual situation at hand looking for my phone it has my insurance this is my uh camera bag was that your phone that pinged earlier I heard it I heard it go off and my watch just died like under your seat or something my phone just went off on my watch so oh it just died I got you watch just my apologies phone his insurance is on his phone yeah my insurance is on my phone I'm so sorry when the officers asked for his ID and documents Randolph began looking for his phone saying he had all the necessary information on it but he couldn't seem to find it anywhere and repeatedly apologized to the officers however that wasn't the officer's main concern they were more worried about his condition just turn the truck off real quick man oh we're chilling you're good can relax he you want me to see your hands I do no no I I'm so sorry I'm just trying to home again leberg High School like I am the principal driving home lanto High School from a game I were you coaching it or were you just taking photos oh no I I can show you your permission I believe you you don't have to show me so I take a lot of photos PPR shots you know by Randolph um I do not coach I'm the principal uh but I do take a lot of pictures so I can my apologies well for taking photos no I'm it's late I I'm just sorry for all of this for for anything at this is water this is at this point I don't even think you know what you're apologizing for I don't but so I know that I was driving I guess erratically and in the morning and you're right I was I didn't pull you over so I have no idea how I I was you're driving crazy or not I'm I'm I'm tired the principal was heading home after attending the game to take some pictures and support his students it had been a long day and he was genuinely tired but his behavior was Raising suspicions with the officers Michael was very nervous and kept apologizing over and over I'm so what I'm going to do is we're going to walk up here yes sir keep your sides your feet together all right like I said follow s this with your eyes and your eyes only you understand this instruction yes sir all right just with your eyes and your eyes only you got you got to make sure you follow with the same just just put your eyes and the eyes on I'm going to go through it again okay yes sir follow you got to follow eyes I know I I didn't I is it easier for you to take your glasses off I I yes sir okay I I'm yes sir please please just with your eyes and your eyes only okay Randolph was given a field sobriety test after several attempts the officers were able to gather data and he struggled to follow the light with his eyes but it wasn't clear whether this was due to his nerves or possibly the effects of alcohol the officers knew they needed to conduct more tests to get a clear picture of what was going on so we played we came to the game started at 7: football game yes the game started at 7:00 I mean we lost 14 to 13 yeah four turnovers in the red zone so I mean I it it was brutal so my district uh game it was I mean we are six and three now as a result I I apologize we play South Lake next week uh I'm so sorry I'm I'm exhaust there's no reason to apologize I well no I apologize for just this so I and again I apologize I'm just going home my wife is in administrator at a really C my two girls are in school here I it's it's just been a long night like I apologize anything you need to search me like please the man once again offered excuses giving further details about the game how tired he was and the long drive that he still had ahead of him but the officers couldn't find any connection between what he was saying and his infractions there was no emergency that justified the speeding all right so what I'm going to actually you do is you're going to place your left foot on the line 7 8 9 how many as I as I instructed I'm instructions again I I apologize because I know I had start you have to it all the way okay Michael was even more nervous than before he seemed confused by the instructions and it became clear he was worried about making a mistake after several explanations and demonstrations he finally took the test however there were steps that he didn't follow correctly and it wasn't something the officers could Overlook so what I'm going to ask you're going to stand with your feet together arms at your side all right you're going maintain this position until instructed um otherwise until I you understand this instruction so far yes sir all right when I tell you to start you can use either leg of your choosing to raise so you're going to raise either leg of your choosing 6 in off the ground it's going to be like a Coke can okay you're going to keep it parallel on the ground so when you're going to count you're going to count like this 1,1 1,2 13 1004 and so Force until I tell you to stop so my knees are a little I work I try to work out like my knees are a little weak so I will I got like I said whichever whichever leg you're comfortable with that's the one you're going to start I'll start with my left leg Yeah that's the one you're going to raise like I said 6 in off the ground like a cat can and then you're going to count 10001 this matter 1001 1002 1003 until I tell you to stop okay do you understand the structure so far all right got 2021 2022 all right you can stop yes sir the final test was completed and at first glance nothing seemed to be wrong but officers noticed some small signs balance issues speech impediments and his movements that made them suspect that something was off would they let him go based on their observations step step off the line improper turn got to turn asking for repeat hands for balance took steps back hand to Bal looking at the foot count out all right Mr Mark you go ahead and turn around for me [Music] you going to be placed under arrest for DUI [Music] okay Michael Randolph age 38 was arrested after failing a field sobriety test he was booked at the Lake County jail and later released after posting a $11,000 Bond the school where he served as principal issued a statement noting that the district would withhold judgment and further comments until the conclusion of the legal process as Randolph was found not guilty of the charge ES