Thomas Daniel Horn : Man Arrested for DUI with Stolen Tag and Suspended License, Smirnoff in Car

A man from Tavares, identified as Thomas Daniel Horn, found himself in hot water after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence with a suspended license. Despite refusing consent to sobriety exercises or a breath test, Horn’s actions led to his arrest.

On the evening of May 28, a trooper patrolling U.S. Hwy. 441 near College Drive noticed a gold Chevrolet Impala. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the vehicle’s tag was registered to a trailer with an expiration date of Dec. 13, 2023. The trooper initiated a traffic stop, and the driver, later identified as Horn, took a while to come to a complete stop.

During the stop, Horn admitted that the tag belonged to a trailer and not the Impala. The trooper detected the smell of alcoholic beverages coming from Horn and the vehicle. It was then revealed that Horn’s driver’s license had been suspended since September 19, 2018, with previous suspensions and convictions related to driving offenses.

After questioning Horn about the ownership of the vehicle and the presence of alcohol, two empty Smirnoff Ice Smash Blue Raspberry Lemonades were found in the backseat. Horn confessed to consuming several alcoholic beverages before driving, leading to a DUI investigation.

Despite being asked to participate in field sobriety exercises, Horn refused but consented to having his eyes checked. The trooper observed signs of impairment, including nystagmus, prompting the decision to arrest Horn for DUI. Despite being read implied consent, Horn refused to provide a breath sample.

Following his arrest, Horn was charged with various offenses, including refusal to submit to a DUI test, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and DUI. He was later released on $3,000 bond after being taken to Lake County Jail.