Senior accused in hit-and-run, then 2nd crash at home while drunk driving golf cart

LEESBURG, Fla. – A senior citizen charged with driving a golf cart while drunk is accused in a crash with a car on the road and another crash after he arrived home.

A sheriff’s deputy in Florida reported going to that driver’s home on the evening of Sept. 3 to investigate “a motor vehicle hit-and-run complaint,” but he also met up with the people in the car that was struck. 

The arrest report said dispatch told the deputy “an older male subject, Mr. Robert A. Pacewicz, later identified as the defendant, collided into the complainant’s grandmother’s vehicle.

“Furthermore, the defendant left the scene of the traffic crash and proceeded towards his residence, [address].

“Lastly, per LCSO dispatch communications, the complainant advised the defendant was intoxicated and collided with a parking stone inside of his garage.”

The three people in the 2006 Lincoln sedan that was hit followed Pacewicz home.

The driver told the deputy she stopped at a stop sign and Pacewicz, in his 2019 Club Car golf cart, entered the intersection from the right and made a left turn, hitting the driver’s side of her car.

“After the collision, all occupants of Vehicle 2 witnessed the defendant continue traveling” until he got home, the deputy wrote.

But Pacewicz wasn’t done and apparently, he could’ve avoided some of the trouble if he’d been a little nicer.

“The defendant proceeded to drive onto his driveway area and soon thereafter, enter and park his golf cart into the garage,” the arrest report said.

“While attempting to park the golf cart, the defendant exhibited great difficulty with parking, which was evident by the golf cart colliding into an exterior garage wall multiple times.

“According to the driver, she attempted to engage into a civil agreement with the defendant; however, the defendant became uncooperative.

“The defendant refused to provide any information to the driver and later informed the driver that he was entering his residence, with the intention of no longer being disturbed.

“This is when the driver and her party decided to contact LCSO.” 

“According to the occupants of Vehicle 2,” the deputy wrote, “the defendant appeared inebriated due to his slurred speech and inability to communicate anything sensible.”

The deputy later agreed, writing, “The defendant’s speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy, and the distinct odor of an alcoholic beverage emitted from his mouth.”

At this point, the deputy asked Pacewicz, who was inside his home, “whether he could vacate his residence to provide a statement of events leading toward law enforcement’s interaction with him.

“However, the defendant refused multiple times and increasingly became uncooperative.

“The defendant was questioned if he had any medical conditions, which he responded no to.

“While attempting to encourage the defendant to vacate his residence, the defendant agreed to allow LCSO deputies on scene to examine his vehicle, which was currently parked inside of his closed garage area.

“Shortly after, the defendant opened his garage door, while standing behind a screen door, which attached the garage to a utility room.”

The golf cart matched the description provided, and,

“While inside the defendant’s garage, I communicated to the defendant that I was actively investigating a criminal complaint for operating a golf cart while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage.”

The deputy asked Pacewicz to perform field sobriety exercises and Pacewicz refused.

Instead, he was arrested, but he couldn’t go straight to jail.

“Due to an injury sustained by the defendant during taking the defendant into custody,” paramedics were called to evaluate him. The arrest report did not describe the injury, or how it happened.

In jail, Pacewicz refused to give a breath sample and, “After reading the defendant his implied consent, the defendant acknowledged by spontaneous utterance the fact he consumed alcoholic beverages (wine).”

Pacewicz was charged with a DUI crash with property damage and with leaving the scene of a crash with property damage.

And, “Due to the defendant’s refusal to sign the aforementioned citations, the defendant was issued another citation for failure to sign.”

Pacewicz, 83, pleaded not guilty to the charges and he was released in lieu of $3,000 bond after seven hours in jail.