Jail deputy arrested on DUI charge

For Steve Sestokas, a detention deputy at the Falkenburg Road Jail, Friday night at a New Port Richey bar turned sour when he reached for an iPod that fell off the seat of his 2004 Dodge Ram, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Sestokas, 33, was driving on State Road 54 near Mitchell Branch Road. He later told deputies that when he reached down to recover the iPod, the Dodge swerved off the road, hit a guard rail and came to a stop, a sheriff's report said.

A passing Pasco sheriff's deputy said he saw the pickup, pulled up behind it and flashed his emergency lights. The deputy got out of his car and walked over to Sestokas' pickup, which had the driver's-side window down.

According to the report, the deputy said he saw Sestokas turning the steering wheel back and forth blankly.

The Dodge cab had a "very strong" odor of alcohol, said the deputy, who said he identified himself and asked if Sestokas was all right.

Sestokas stared at him blankly, then floored the gas pedal. He kept his foot on the pedal for about 15 seconds as the deputy yelled at him to stop, the deputy said.

Sestokas kept gunning the engine, and refused to exit the pickup, the report said. The deputy eventually was able to push his way onto the driver's seat, put the pickup in park and take the keys out of the ignition.

Sestokas continued to resist, refusing to get out of the pickup, the report said.

After Sestokas was removed by the deputy, he was arrested, the report said.

Sestokas failed several field sobriety tests. He was charged with DUI and resisting an officer without violence. His blood alcohol content was recorded at .121. In Florida, a driver is presumed to be impaired at a level of .08 or higher.

Sestokas was taken to Land O' Lakes Jail and later released on $150 bail.

When reached via cell phone, Sestokas refused to comment.

Typically, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office employee would be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, said spokeswoman Debbie Carter.