Lady Lake, FL — A late-night incident on Nov. 12 turned dangerous along U.S. Highway 27/441 when a 44-year-old Wildwood man, later identified as Christopher Johnson, was accused of driving directly into oncoming traffic before being stopped by officers, according to the Lady Lake Police Department.
Reckless Driving Reports Flood In
The situation began just before 11:30 p.m., when multiple callers reported a red Ford passenger car driving erratically near County Road 25 and Griffin Avenue. Witnesses told police the vehicle was swerving, shifting across lanes, and narrowly missing other drivers.
Police said the wave of emergency calls indicated a “real-time threat” to anyone traveling the area at that hour.
Officer Spots Car Going the Wrong Way
According to the department’s release, an officer soon located the suspect vehicle as it turned onto U.S. Highway 27/441 — but instead of entering the correct lanes, the car began traveling south in the northbound lanes, forcing other motorists to swerve out of the way to avoid head-on collisions.
Recognizing the imminent danger, officers swiftly blocked surrounding traffic and managed to bring the vehicle to a stop near Water Oak Boulevard.
Driver Identified as 44-Year-Old Christopher Johnson
Once the vehicle was safely stopped, police identified the driver as Christopher Johnson, a 44-year-old resident of Wildwood. Officers said Johnson showed clear indicators of severe impairment, noting that he could not stand without assistance.
Inside the vehicle, officers reported finding open containers of alcohol. Johnson allegedly provided breath samples of 0.245 and 0.236 — nearly three times Florida’s legal limit of 0.08.
Bodycam Captures Slurred Explanation About ‘EFD’
Footage released by the department shows officers attempting to conduct field sobriety evaluations. At one point, an officer instructed Johnson to follow his finger with his eyes.
Johnson responded, “That’s where I’ve always had a problem with my— my EFD. It’s hard to actually follow.”
When an officer asked him what “EFD” meant, Johnson attempted to reply, “Hyper-apnent… Hyper— bleh…” before trailing off. An officer on scene is then heard saying, “Alright. Um. We do believe you’re impaired.”
Past DUI Convictions and Suspended License
During questioning, Johnson admitted to drinking earlier that night. Police also learned that he had previous DUI convictions and was driving on a suspended license.
Given the circumstances, Johnson was arrested at the scene. His vehicle was towed, and he was booked on charges of DUI and Driving With a Suspended License (DWLS). He was later released on $15,000 bond.
Police Chief Praises Officers for Preventing Tragedy
Police Chief Steve Hunt commended responding officers for their quick action.
“Our officers acted quickly and decisively to stop this vehicle before someone was seriously hurt,” Hunt said, as per ClickOrlando. “Driving into oncoming traffic is extremely dangerous, and their fast response prevented what could have been a tragic outcome for innocent drivers.
Should penalties be tougher for repeat DUI offenders? Drop your thoughts in the comments — let’s talk about it.
