A booking photo of an elderly man in an orange jail uniform displayed on a dark navy blue background with blurred red and blue police lights.

Charles Ducking, 76, of Lake Wales, was arrested in Polk County after deputies say he was caught driving impaired again just months after a previous DUI arrest. He now faces felony DUI and cocaine possession charges, along with driving while license suspended and possession of paraphernalia. Photo: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

“This Here Is My Rum”: Lake Wales Man Arrested on DUI, Cocaine Charges Months After Previous DUI

By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent

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POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Lake Wales man is back in jail on another DUI charge just four months after a previous DUI arrest, after Polk County deputies say he was caught driving with a suspended license, alcohol in his vehicle and cocaine inside his Jeep.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy spotted a Jeep swerving while traveling south on U.S. Highway 27 in Waverly on Thursday, September 17.

A check of the vehicle’s registered owner showed the driver’s license was suspended because of previous DUI arrests.

Deputies identified the driver as 76-year-old Charles Ducking of Lake Wales.

When the deputy approached the Jeep, investigators say he noticed the smell of alcohol along with slurred speech and watery eyes.

When asked for his driver’s license, Ducking allegedly told the deputy that it was suspended because of DUI and admitted he had been drinking.

According to PCSO, Ducking then showed the deputy a silver thermal cup containing a brown liquid and said, “This here is my rum I’m drinking.”

A traffic deputy was called to conduct a DUI investigation — and immediately recognized Ducking from a previous DUI arrest in May.

The investigation did not stop there.

Deputies say a search of the Jeep turned up a small orange container containing cocaine. Investigators say Ducking told them he had used cocaine about 10 minutes before the traffic stop.

During field sobriety testing, deputies reported observing several signs of impairment.

PCSO says Ducking later provided breath samples measuring .094 and .095. In Florida, a blood or breath alcohol level of .08 or higher is considered legally impaired for most drivers.

Previous DUI Arrest in May

Ducking had previously been arrested by Polk County deputies on May 22, 2026, also on a DUI charge.

During that investigation, PCSO says his breath alcohol readings were .106 and .102.

He was released from jail on May 25 after posting a $250 bond, with a condition that he not possess or consume alcohol, according to the sheriff’s office.

PCSO says Ducking has nine other arrests in Polk County dating back to 2001, including a DUI arrest that year. He was also arrested in Gadsden County in 2016 for DUI.

Following Thursday’s traffic stop, Ducking was booked into the Polk County Jail on the following charges:

DUI — fourth or subsequent offense, a third-degree felony
Possession of cocaine, a third-degree felony
Driving while license suspended, a second-degree misdemeanor
Possession of drug paraphernalia, a first-degree misdemeanor

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Ducking was fortunate that no one had been killed or seriously hurt.

“He has tempted fate too many times, and he needs to make some serious changes in his life before it’s too late,” Judd said.

Judd also praised deputies for proactively looking for impaired drivers and removing them from the road.

The charges are allegations, and Ducking is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

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