Man Charged with DUI in Walton County after Blaming a Deer for His Wreck

Jason Christopher Joseph was charged with driving under the influence, failure to maintain lane and driving too fast for conditions following a single vehicle accident on Highway 81 North and Springdale Drive on March 24.

According to the incident report from Walton County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the wreck just before 11 p.m. and found a vehicle in the ditch and Joseph talking on the phone. He told police that he had swerved to avoid a deer, causing him to run off the road. They reported a smell of alcohol, but Joseph reportedly told them that they were being silly because he didn’t drink. He said his speech was slurred because he didn’t speak English that well. He then reportedly said he did have something to drink, but it was about six days before. 

Joseph reportedly kept insisting the reason he ran off the road was because a deer ran out in front of him, but the witness to the wreck reportedly said she had not seen any deer. She said she was driving south on Highway 81 and when she passed the vehicle driven by Joseph, she heard tires squealing and witnessed the vehicle swerving before running off the road. She turned around and went back to check on him and called the authorities, but she said she didn’t see any deer.

Joseph was charged with DUI after he refused the field sobriety or alcohol test.