Middle School Teacher Arrested For DUI

WINTER HAVEN, FL — A 29-year-old Bartow Middle School teacher has been arrested for driving under the influence. Dyrren Barber was charged Tuesday with DUI with property damage, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

"Around 8 p.m., PCSO received a call for service in reference to a blue Ford pickup truck seen driving erratically on Cypress Gardens Boulevard near Helena Road in Winter Haven," the sheriff's office said. "The reportee witnessed the truck strike a Nissan driving in the same direction, and then attempt to flee."

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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd praised the person who called police.

"Thank you to the citizen who saw something, and said something — resulting in us being able to respond quickly to what could have been a much worse scene," he said. "It's a miracle nobody was injured last night when Mr. Barber got behind the wheel drunk."

The sheriff's office said Barber appeared to lose control of his truck and left the scene in what was described as a high rate of speed.

"The driver appeared to lose control of the truck, at which time it left the roadway, struck a telephone pole, drove through a fence and struck a water main," according to the sheriff's office.

Barber was not injured in the crash nor was the driver of the Nissan that was struck.

"Deputies smelled the odor of alcohol and observed that Barber appeared to be intoxicated, and they subsequently conducted a series of field sobriety tests," the sheriffs office said. "During the tests, Barber exhibited several signs of impairment."

After his arrest, Barber submitted to a breath test at Polk County Jail.

"His first breath sample tested at 0.263 blood alcohol content (BAC) and his second breath sample tested at 0.255 BAC," according to the sheriff's office. "Both samples were over twice the legal BAC limit of 0.08."

Barber also had a 2016 arrest in Polk County for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Photo courtesy Polk County Sheriff's Office