PLANT CITY, Fla. — A 26-year-old Wimauma man was arrested Thursday night after deputies said he was passed out behind the wheel with his 5-year-old child in the car and two firearms in his possession, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO).
Deputies responded around 8 p.m. to the Shell gas station at 1665 Branch Forbes Road in Plant City for a “person down” call, according to a news release.
They found Patrick Voegtly unconscious in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked at a gas pump. His child was seated in the back seat and told deputies, “He’s just sleeping,” per the release.
🚔Wimauma Father Arrested for DUI With 5-Year-Old in Backseat🚔On May 14, 2026, at 7:57 p.m., #teamHCSO deputies responded to a Shell gas station in Plant City regarding a person-down call. When deputies arrived, they found Patrick Voegtly, 26, passed out in the driver’s seat of… pic.twitter.com/858R5gI76q
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) May 16, 2026
Deputies saw a handgun in plain view inside the vehicle and found a second handgun in Voegtly’s pocket after detaining him, HCSO said.
Investigators said Voegtly showed signs of impairment, including glassy eyes and slurred speech. He refused field sobriety tests but provided a breath sample showing a BAC more than twice Florida’s legal limit of 0.08.
“This reckless decision could have ended in tragedy,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “Driving under the influence is dangerous enough, but doing so with a child in the vehicle while armed shows a complete disregard for the safety of others. Thankfully, deputies intervened before anyone was seriously hurt.”
Voegtly was charged with DUI (over 0.15), child neglect and improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon or firearm.
The investigation remains active.
Fired Hillsborough major blew nearly twice legal limit, had Jack Daniel's in his patrol vehicle
Major Troy Morgan, who oversaw DUI enforcement for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, blew a 0.125 and 0.143 on a breathalyzer test after reporting for duty.
