Pasco deputies, suspected of drinking and driving, let go in Pinellas

Pinellas County Sheriff's Sgt. John Daniels saw a car fly past him and caught a readout on his digital radar: 98 mph.

The silver Dodge Charger was westbound on Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs about 1 a.m. Sunday. The posted speed in the area was 45 mph.

According to Daniels' report, he made a U-turn to follow the Charger and saw it weaving around other cars in a no-passing zone. At County Road 611, the Charger stopped -- 20 yards short of the intersection.

When Daniels pulled up, he saw the passenger standing outside his door, urinating. The man looked up at him, he wrote, and then continued. Daniels got out of his cruiser and walked up to the driver's side.

That's when both men identified themselves by their profession: Pasco County Sheriff's deputies.

Jose Berrios, the driver, told Daniels that he and fellow deputy Kurt Hentschel had been out drinking and were on their way home. Berrios, Daniels wrote, smelled like he'd been drinking and had glassy eyes.

According to the report, Daniels told Berrios he "would like" to give him a breath test to check his blood-alcohol level "due to the fact he appeared to be under the influence."

Daniels told Berrios if he failed the test he would "simply have to call someone" to pick him up; if he passed, he could drive home, the report says.

Berrios said he "preferred" to call for a ride. Daniels did not insist on the breath test, so none was taken. While they waited for the ride, Daniels contacted a Pasco sheriff's lieutenant, who asked him to write a report documenting the incident and fax it.

Their ride -- whose identity isn't known -- showed up and the deputies left.

They are both now under investigation by their own agency, Pasco spokesman Kevin Doll said Wednesday. Berrios has been placed on desk duty; Hentschel is on normal duty.

In Pinellas, Daniels concluded his report with, "case closed, solved non-criminal."

Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer

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