EUSTIS, Fla. _ Michael Ray, a country music singer from Eustis who had a No.1 country hit in 2015 and is making a name for himself in Nashville, was arrested early Wednesday outside a McDonald's for driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana, according to an arrest report.
The 29-year-old, whose song "Kiss You in the Morning" soared to the top of the Billboard Country Airplay charts, was arrested 4 a.m. by Eustis police after he crashed into the car in front of him at the McDonald's drive-through, the report said. He was arrested under his legal name, Michael Ray Roach.
Driving a 2012 orange Jeep, "Michael said he was in the drive thru and his foot slipped off the pedal causing him to hit the back of the" 2016 blue Scion in front of him, the report said.
"While speaking to Michael I noticed he had blood shot eyes, slurred speech, he stumbled while walking and smelled of alcohol... he said he was coming from a bar in Tavares," the arresting officer said in the report.
The driver and passenger of the Scion both told police they were sitting in the McDonald's drive-through when Ray's vehicle hit them from behind at about 3:30 a.m.
"Everybody makes mistakes," Erin Haynes, 27, the driver of the Scion, told the Sentinel. She declined further comment.
Ray performed several alcohol sobriety tests and performed poorly, the report said.
Police told Ray to walk in a straight line and turn around, causing Ray to lift his hands up "to balance" and "to stop from falling over," the report said.
He was then told to stand on one leg, but police said Ray had to put his second foot down four times in 12 seconds.
Finally, police said Ray performed successfully on the "finger and nose" test and did not consent to a breathalyzer test.
When police searched Ray and found a glass bottle on with a brown liquid inside, Ray told police, "that's weed oil" and that it belonged to him.
Ray was being held in the Lake County Jail on a $6,000 bond.
