Ron Book’s account of his DUI arrest inconsistent with police and witness report.
Details are beginning to emerge from Ron Book’s DUI arrest Sunday Night and as more information comes to us, we will continue to share it. Here’s what we know so far.
Ron Book was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol on Sunday February 24, 2019. He has been charged with (1) Dui Alcohol Or Drugs 1St, (2) Dui W/Dam To Prop Or Pers, and (3) Refuse To Submit To Dui T. His case has been assigned Case Number 19002107MM10A.
His mugshot, showing Book dressed in jail scrubs is below:
Ordinarily the case would be prosecuted by the Broward State Attorney’s office, but State Attorney, Michael J. Satz, is a personal friend of Book’s so it’s likely that another prosecutor will be brought in. His daughter, State Senator Lauren Book also represents the jurisdiction in which the arrest took place.
According to the arrest report, FHP responded to a rollover accident that night involving a Lamborghini (driven by Book) and a black Ford Focus (driven by Deryk Rivera). Rivera’s was the vehicle that rolled over.
When the reporting FHP officer, Trooper Corominas arrived at the scene he was advised by Sargent Castano that there was an odor of alcohol and slurred speech from the driver of a Lamborghini. The EMS supervisors that arrived on scene also reported the odor of alcohol coming from Book. As soon as the reporting Trooper began speaking with Book, he also detected the odor of Alcohol.
The Trooper then informed Book that he was there to conduct a DUI investigation and performed a field sobriety test. Book reportedly displayed 6 out of 6 clues for DUI on the first test and began the second test (walking heel to toe in a straight line) twice before being prompted to begin. When he started, he repeatedly lost balance and was in danger of falling down. After being placed under arrest he was brought to the County’s DUI intake where he refused the breathalyzer.
Book was kept overnight and released Monday on $1500 bond. He denied driving drunk and gave cancer medication as an excuse, but that does not explain the smell of alcohol detected by three individual responders. It also does not explain his refusal to take a breathalyzer exam. If he was not drunk, why not take the test to use as exculpatory evidence?
There’s another inconsistency in Book’s story. Book claimed the accident was caused by Rivera. Book blamed the accident on Rivera claiming he had him off, but FHP noted that the damage to Book’s car was inconsistent with his story and that claim was further refuted by an interview with the other driver in the below news story.
Here is an interview with the driver of the other vehicle, disputing Book’s claim that he was cut off:
This is not Book’s first arrest. In 1986, he was charged with insurance fraud and in the mid-90’s for making illegal campaign contributions. Let’s see how well his “political contributions” pay off and how quickly this arrest gets swept under the rug
We will continue to update this developing story as additional information comes to us. In the meantime, here are some statistics about drunk driving in case you wanted to contact your legislator to see what they intend to do about this public safety issue.
- THIS IS NOT THEIR FIRST TIME: An average drunk driver has driven drunk over 80 times before first arrest.
-Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States: 2014” https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014THI/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-29 Incidence data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.htm - IF IT SAVES ONE CHILD IT WILL BE WORTH IT: In 2017, 220 children aged 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving alcohol-impaired-drivers.
-NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2017 https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812630 -
IT’S NOT A MATTER OF IF, BUT WHEN THEY WILL RE-OFFEND: About one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of drunk driving are repeat offenders.
-Fell, Jim. “Repeat DWI Offenders in the United States.” Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Tech No. 85, February 1995. - THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS: Every day in America, another 30 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes. That’s one person every 48 minutes.
-National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2017: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2018. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812630 - IT IS GROSSLY UNDER-REPORTED: Each day, people drive drunk more than 300,000 times, but only about 2800 are arrested
-Arrest data: Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States: 2015” https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/tables/table-29Incidence data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.
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When I go on the road either in my community or on the highway, it’s drunk drivers I fear, not sex offenders. It’s not sex offenders who injure children at a school bus stops, but drunk drivers. When are our ‘fearless leaders’ going to get their facts together?
Yea that should be posted everywhere and reported as soon he goes into a bar or area to buy booze then again when he leaves. We all know not to take meds and drink plus some meds say don’t drive either
Why are people spending their time commenting here when they should be forwarding this has to ALL the Florida news stations??
This is ‘Florida’s most powerful lobbyist’ getting into this mess. The news media loves this stuff! Let’s give them a taste of their own medicine for once and spread the news. Maybe all the Donors that gave Book money to be able to afford a Lamborghini will distance themselves now. How great would that be for Citizens’ freedoms in Florida?
Help the cause and your Citizens: email your local news station!
Local News Stations have this. It’s the legislators we need to be contacting
@ Joe123,It is the new tread of Keyboard warriors!!! I thank Gail and those that continue to fight and make some type of donation weather time or cash and/or both. This is/was a/the golden opportunity and it is being lost
Because news stations don’t care i been wrinting to them on how resident restriction is out dated on how state and county probation work on 2 different system sent them proof straight line measuring doesn’t work streets and buildings were built since that rule schools are no longer working just empty building base ball park is a historic park went thought it with all news with county probation they look up where you want to live then a circle those things are either in circle or on the line. I was told by officer in jax that we should be glad our person is able to sleep in our vehicle along the street the only news they care about is when sheriff does internet sex sting which was just on news there was a metting somewhere last week to warn parents of 9 sights to make sure the children aren’t on saying those sights are predators targeting children well sheriff judd ron book senator lauren book are ones who call everyone on registry predators so they are getting ready for a sting and hopefully no children be on those sights they did news on homeless then that was it we have to get it where it hurts write in to government and keep expressing about prosecutor accused of sex crime supreme judge senator so how many more is going to come out go to us senate president there our 4 or five that makes lawmakers fix laws also tell how many states being sued about michigan all these are with in a month plus law enforcement yes florida if us washington get enough letters they will find out registery is as important as gun control heath insurance the wall lets go give them a list from fac let them go on and read the sights i write at least 20 letters a month for me i don’t really mind living aside of registery people just as long as they are up front with me but if it was something really bad i keep watch close for kids in neighborhood but at least it isn’t a drug dealer i be afraid they give to kids or someone come in my house cause they were looking for they’re dealer drugs kill drunken drivers kill but not all registery dangerous
DUI is a very serious crime and should not go without serious consequences, especially for people who are held to a higher standard of behavior. We need to pay close attention to the stats and be able to quote them at all times. This is an opportunity to disparage
the disparager. We cannot let this go, no matter what.
So I just sent the following email to Lauren Book’s legislative email address:
Dear Senator Book:
I was disturbed to hear about the recent arrest of your father Ron after he allegedly drove while under the influence of alcohol and caused another car to turn over several times and cause major damage to his and the other person’s car in Broward County. I also understand that this may not be his first offense with reckless driving. As someone who fights tirelessly for public safety as well as the safety of children, I’m sure you are extremely concerned about the issue of drunk driving and alcohol addiction and someone like this being on the roads in our state, especially since drunk driving causes the deaths of a “frightening and high” number of minor children each year in the United States. Since DUI’s seem to be a major issue in Florida regarding public safety and the safety of children, I was wondering what you intend to do about this problem as a senator of our state? I have listed some helpful resources below to give you an idea of just how dangerous drunk driving is in our state and the nation. Maybe it’s time for us to have a DUI registry in this state as well to go along with our highly effective sex offender and possible prostitution registry. I think DUI offenders should not be able to live within 1000 feet of a bar, liquor store, or any other establishment that serves alcohol. They should also not live within 1000 feet of a school or park as their erratic driving habits can be a possible danger to children. I think this would serve the public well in our state. As a concerned citizen, I would like to know what you intend to do about this issue. Relevant facts about drunk driving are listed below:
THIS IS NOT THEIR FIRST TIME: An average drunk driver has driven drunk over 80 times before first arrest.
-Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States: 2014” https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014THI/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-29 Incidence data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.htm
IF IT SAVES ONE CHILD IT WILL BE WORTH IT: In 2017, 220 children aged 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving alcohol-impaired-drivers.
-NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2017 https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812630
IT’S NOT A MATTER OF IF, BUT WHEN THEY WILL RE-OFFEND: About one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of drunk driving are repeat offenders.
-Fell, Jim. “Repeat DWI Offenders in the United States.” Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Tech No. 85, February 1995.
THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS: Every day in America, another 30 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes. That’s one person every 48 minutes.
-National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2017: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2018. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812630
IT IS GROSSLY UNDER-REPORTED: Each day, people drive drunk more than 300,000 times, but only about 2800 are arrested
-Arrest data: Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States: 2015” https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/tables/table-29Incidence data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.
Good letter but it should be sent to all those in the media and law makers as well Let the news media call her on this issue in public
Awesomely written! Excellent. Won’t change her one bit, but by goodness she needed to hear it.
Yes sir. That’s why I did it. I dont know who gets those emails sent to the generic email addresses, but I’m sure itll shock the hell out of them. Such low lifes. All of them
We need a DUI registry to protect our children from these dangerously high recidivists. More kids killed by folks like Mr. Book than any other group of offenders.
Well crap. Looks like the only thing that stop you from being a lobbyist is a felony conviction. This sucks. He can still be a lobbyist:
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=112.32151&URL=0100-0199/0112/Sections/0112.32151.html