An elementary school principal was arrested after he reportedly fled from Hillsborough County deputies while driving under the influence Friday night.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, at around 10 p.m., a deputy was patrolling the Greater Carrollwood area at West Linebaugh Avenue and North Dale Mabry when they were nearly hit by a sedan.
The sedan cut the deputy off and began driving erratically, weaving across lanes of traffic. Another deputy saw the sedan turn at a red light without stopping at the intersection of Gunn Highway and West Linebaugh Avenue, which has a "no turn on red" sign, HCSO said.
When deputies tried to pull the vehicle over at Casey Road and Gunn Highway, the driver, later identified as Otis Kitchen II, 45, refused to stop and fled westbound on Old Saybrook Avenue.
Kitchen was taken into custody after arriving home and parking his vehicle inside his garage. Deputies say he had obvious signs of impairment, including bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, the odor of alcohol, unsteady standing and urinating on himself.
HCSO said Kitchen struggled to complete sobriety exercises. He gave a breath sample of .142/.142, well above the legal limit.
Kitchen, the principal of Town and Country Elementary School, faces charges of DUI and fleeing to elude.