Brevard County, FL – A Brevard County man is facing DUI charges after allegedly fleeing the scene of a vehicle fire on State Road 192 before being arrested by deputies, authorities said Tuesday.
According to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and county fire crews responded to reports of a car on fire along Highway 192. When they arrived, they observed the driver, identified as Patrick Rinaldi, briefly stop before allegedly driving away again — despite heavy smoke coming from his vehicle.
Deputies said Rinaldi eventually stopped a second time, escaping the car as flames intensified. When approached by law enforcement, officers reported smelling alcohol and discovered a bottle of liquor on the car’s floorboard.
Rinaldi allegedly refused to complete field sobriety exercises or submit to breath testing, according to the sheriff’s office. He was subsequently charged with DUI and refusal to submit and taken into custody.
Sheriff Wayne Ivey praised Brevard County Fire Rescue for quickly extinguishing the blaze, noting that no one was injured. “There will never be a valid reason to drink and drive,” Ivey said, adding that Rinaldi was “lucky no one lost their life yesterday due to his bad decisions.”
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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