By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent

iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published June 22nd, 2026

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Suspect Previously Deported Following DUI Arrest Arrested Again for DUI on I-4, Deputies Say

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (iSkyNews.com) — A man who authorities say was previously deported after a DUI arrest has been arrested again in Polk County following an alleged drunken driving incident on Interstate 4.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, deputies assigned to the Traffic Unit were conducting speed enforcement on Interstate 4 on Saturday, June 20, when they observed a white Cadillac Escalade traveling at an extremely high rate of speed while weaving through traffic.

Deputies said radar showed the SUV traveling 100 mph in a 70 mph zone. Investigators say the driver was changing lanes recklessly and forcing other motorists to brake suddenly or take evasive action to avoid a collision.

A traffic stop was conducted, and deputies identified the driver as 34-year-old Rolando Perez Hernandez of Zephyrhills.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the deputy immediately observed signs of impairment. Hernandez was taken into custody, and a breath test reportedly measured his blood alcohol content at 0.170, more than twice Florida's legal limit of 0.08.

Authorities said Hernandez's driver's license was revoked following a DUI arrest in April 2022. After that arrest, he was deported to Mexico by federal immigration authorities. Investigators say he illegally re-entered the United States in 2024.

34-year-old Rolando Perez Hernandez / Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Hernandez is now facing the following charges:

• Driving While License Suspended or Revoked (Felony)

• DUI with a Breath Alcohol Content of .15 or Higher

• Dangerous Excessive Speed

• Reckless Driving

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said each charge was enhanced by one degree under applicable state law due to his immigration status.

Hernandez was booked into the Polk County Jail, where authorities say an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold has been placed on him pending further proceedings.

Sheriff Grady Judd criticized Hernandez's actions, saying the suspect's alleged reckless driving created a dangerous situation on one of Central Florida's busiest highways.

"It's a miracle this suspect, with his blatant disregard for our laws, didn't kill someone or himself the way he was recklessly speeding and driving drunk on I-4," Judd said in a statement. "It is our hope that once he's deported again, he stays out of the United States for good."

This remains an active criminal case, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Source: Polk County Sheriff's Office sent directly to iSkyNews.com

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