'Take me to jail': Naples man accused of threatening to kill deputy during DUI arrest

A Naples man was arrested on Monday after being accused of drunk driving at 10:30 a.m. and threatening to kill a deputy.

According to the Collier County Sheriff's Office, a deputy was alerted to a reckless driver in the area of Airport Road and Pine Ridge Road Monday morning. The deputy located the car used in the reckless driving in the parking lot of the Publix on the corner of the two roads.

The deputy waited in the area for the driver to return to his vehicle, and at around 10:35 a.m., the driver re-entered his car and backed out of his parking spot to head to the east exit by Airport Road.

The driver rolled through two stop signs and exited the parking lot before accelerating rapidly into the right lane of southbound Airport Road, the report said. The deputy said they saw the driver swerve over the solid right line as he continued on Airport Road.

A traffic stop was conducted on the driver due to multiple traffic violations. The deputy said that before the car even came to a full stop, the driver jumped out of the car. The driver was ordered to get back into his car and wait, but he jumped out of the car again as the deputy approached the vehicle, the report said.

The deputy noted that the driver, identified as Joseph Straface, 69, was uncooperative and aggressive, the report said. Straface smelled strongly of alcohol, had red and watery eyes, and slurred speech, CCSO said. Straface was also swinging his arms at deputies while cursing.

Straface was asked to perform standard field sobriety exercises. Straface told deputies he would not participate and said, "Take me to jail," the report said. Deputies placed Straface in handcuffs and struggled to place him into a patrol car as he kicked and cursed.

While en route to jail, Straface told the deputy he would "kill him no matter what it takes," and that he would kill the deputy's wife and kids in front of him, the report said. The deputy reported that Straface continued to make death threats even after arriving at the jail.

Straface was arrested and faces charges of DUI, refusal to submit to DUI testing, and threatening death to a law enforcement officer.