In Key Largo, Florida, deputies arrested Timothy Mahoney, a 55-year-old from Montgomery, New York, after several reports about reckless driving along U.S. 1. Witnesses said Mahoney struck some traffic cones near mile marker 108 before stopping his truck.

When authorities arrived, they found Mahoney outside his vehicle, wearing only a construction hard hat and dancing to music. 

While deputies detained him, Mahoney tried to smoke marijuana from a pipe. They arrested him on charges of driving under the influence, drug possession, and resisting arrest. He remains in the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s Key West facility and is set for arraignment on March 19, Local10 shared.

In Florida, a first-time DUI conviction carries fines ranging from $500 to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. If the driver’s blood alcohol concentration exceeds 0.15% or if a minor is in the vehicle, fines increase to between $1,000 and $2,000. Prison time could extend up to nine months. Courts can also impose probation, mandatory community service, vehicle impoundment, and a driver’s license suspension ranging from 180 days to one year.

Florida has a reputation for having some of the worst drivers in the U.S. 

A 2024 analysis by Word Population Review ranked Florida the fourth-worst state for driving, with only 79.6% of its motorists insured, the fifth-lowest in the country. The state also has the ninth-highest rate of fatalities per 100 million miles traveled at 1.41.

Florida cities, such as Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa, also rank poorly in driver safety. Around 20% of Florida drivers lack insurance, the Insurance Research Council estimates. This is about 54% higher than the national average.