Polk Deputy Accused Of DUI

SEFFNER, FL — A Polk County Sheriff's Office deputy has been suspended with pay following his early Saturday morning arrest, according to a spokesperson for the sheriff's office.

Deputy Seth Morozowski was accused of driving under the influence. He was taken into custody by Florida Highway Patrol shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday.

"At around 2:30 a.m., Feb. 15, an FHP trooper pulled in behind Morozowski's personally owned vehicle that was stopped on the outside shoulder on eastbound Interstate 4, approaching the N Kingsway Road overpass near Seffner," Scott Wilder of the sheriff's office said Monday. "When the trooper came up to the vehicle and made contact, he detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the vehicle."

Wilder said the nine-year police veteran was unsteady when he got out of his vehicle. Morozowski is a K-9 officer who earns $56,099 per year.

"He ultimately failed to satisfactorily perform several standardized field sobriety exercises," Wilder said.

Wilder said Morozowski was taken to Hillsborough County Jail, where his breath alcohol level was measured at .212 and .209 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. Any motorist with a breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath is considered to be under the influence in Florida.