Man Flees Crash, Gets Arrested For DUI

A Land O’ Lakes man was arrested Saturday following a traffic crash that law enforcement officials say he caused and then fled.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the accident took place shortly after noon June 11 when the victim was sitting at the red light at eastbound State Road 54 and State Road 56. The suspect is said to have rear-ended to victim’s truck. The man then got out of his vehicle and gave the victim his name and address before getting back into his pickup truck and driving off, the report said.

According to witnesses, the suspect drove across all eastbound lanes of travel and into the left turn lane. He then made a U-turn and fled westbound on State Road 54 at “a high rate of speed.”

Two witnesses saw the damaged truck fleeing and followed it to the owner’s residence.

In the meantime, the highway patrol arrived on the scene and was able to positively identify the suspect based on the information given to the victim, the report said.

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies, the witnesses, victim and a trooper then went to the suspect’s home at 22931 Eagles Watch Drive in Land O’ Lakes. Here Trooper Michael Wilder said the suspect was found standing against his damaged truck and was positively identified again by the victim.

Wilder’s report said the suspect smelled of alcohol and had “bloodshot and glassy/watery” eyes. The suspect told Wilder he “had not been drinking alcohol since he got home.”

Arrested was Michael Edward Heimlich, 59. He was charged with DUI, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and DUI property damage. He was later released from the Land O’ Lakes Jail.

Update Oct. 22, 2011: According to Pasco County court records, Heimlich was found guilty of reckless driving on Oct. 5. The DUI charges were dismissed and adjudication was withheld in regard to leaving the scene of an accident.