Last Wednesday night, a concerned citizen’s call for help and police intervention assisted in the arrest of a man for driving under the influence in Sebastian, Florida.
The incident unfolded along a busy stretch of U.S. Highway 1 when a resident reported a blue Chevrolet Silverado driving recklessly southbound. The witness noted that the driver was erratic, swerving, and driving without lights on—a hazardous combination that compelled her to follow the truck at a safe distance and alert authorities.
The truck eventually pulled into the parking lot at a Speedway Gas Station, where the witness awaited the arrival of law enforcement, providing them with a detailed account of the ordeal. Her observations included the vehicle’s dangerous speeds and an alarming incident where the truck forced an additional motorist off the road.
Responding to the call, officers from the Sebastian Police Department located the described truck parked in front of the gas station.
According to police, the driver, later identified as Jacob Delaye of Sebastian, exhibited clear signs of intoxication, as evidenced by his severely red, watery eyes. Despite repeated commands to exit the vehicle, Delaye resisted, escalating the situation until he was forcibly removed and detained by the officers on the scene.
The keys were in the ignition, and the engine was running. Scattered across the center and passenger side floorboards were several empty containers of alcoholic beverages: a 24oz can of Miller Lite Beer with an alcohol content of 4.2%, a 25oz can of Bud Light Platinum Seltzer Blood Orange boasting an 8% alcohol volume, and a 24oz bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, containing 5% alcohol by volume.
Despite being taken into custody and transported to the Indian River County Jail, Delaye refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.
This incident wasn’t Delaye’s first encounter with the law concerning impaired driving; a search through the D.A.V.I.D. (Driver and Vehicle Information Database) system disclosed a prior DUI conviction in Hillsborough County on January 3, 2019.
Delaye now faces charges of resisting arrest without violence and driving under the influence with priors. He has since been released on a $1,500 bond.
