CCPD charges city Parks & Rec director with DUI
A city of Cape Coral department head was arrested over the weekend on multiple driving under the influence charges.
Parks and Recreation Department Director Stephen Pohlman, 65, was charged Sunday with DUI unlawful blood alcohol .15 or higher or with person under 18, hit and run leave scene of crash involve damage to property and DUI with damage property – all misdemeanors, according to jail booking records.
He has since been released from the Lee County on $3,500 bond.
As of Tuesday, Pohlman had not been suspended and still held his position with the city.
“He is still employed at this point in time,” Connie Barron, spokeswoman for the city, said.
She believed that the city manager planned to meet with Pohlman this week.
On Sunday, City Manager John Szerlag issued the following statement:
“I have been advised of the arrest involving our Parks & Recreation Director Steve Pohlman. I will be gathering all of the details and facts surrounding this incident and determining the appropriate course of action.”
Pohlman declined to comment Tuesday on the charges.
At about 3:15 p.m., Cape police received a complaint about a reckless driver in a blue Ford Mustang. According to a report, the caller stated that vehicle was swerving and driving side-to-side while taking up two lanes as it headed northbound on Del Prado Boulevard. Another caller said the car almost hit her.
One caller said the Ford turned into a shopping center in the 1900 block of Del Prado, before traveling around the businesses on the back road behind the bowling alley. The vehicle turned onto Southeast 17th Place and headed southbound, but kept veering into the northbound lane and drove onto the curb.
After turning back onto Del Prado and then onto Everest Parkway, the driver drove in the bicycle lane and struck a curb, according to the report. The Ford entered Horton Park, where it hit a properly parked boat trailer. The caller said the vehicle then headed westbound on Everest, where it almost hit a jogger.
At no time did the driver stop and leave information regarding the crash, police noted.
The Ford continued to swerve and almost hit a motorcycle before police located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in the middle of the road in the 2300 block of Southeast 27th Terrace.
Police observed damage to the front grill area and bumper of the vehicle.
The report states that when Pohlman was asked to step out of the patrol vehicle for the DUI investigation, he was off balance and unsteady and the officer “had to grab him due to fearing that he was going to fall over.” He could not follow instructions and had to lean against the vehicle.
He was placed under arrest and taken into custody.
During the booking process, Pohlman was asked by the Cape police to participate in a breath test. According to the report, he blew a BAC of 0.267 and 0.283 when the test was administered.
Pohlman has a court date set for Nov. 6.