Florida’s New Public Safety Councilor Arrested on DUI Charges

A newly elected Florida councilman who previously said public safety was his top priority was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

Lance Green, who won his primary election and secured a seat on the Port Orange City Council’s District 4 seat in August, was detained by police Saturday, Volusia County arrest records show.

He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of alcohol causing harm to persons or property, and obstructing officers without the use of violence.

The 59-year-old was arrested early in the morning and released several hours later, at 7:46 a.m., after posting $2,000 bail, including $1,000 for the DUI charge and $500 for the other two charges.

This comes after Green said public safety and police resources were among his top three priorities when he ran for the position.

At the beginning of July the local newspaper Daytona Beach News Journal interviewed two candidates running for the District 4 seat, Green and Joe Mialki.

Green, a former construction manager, listed the following as his top priorities: “Continue to improve public safety and staff our police department: new and detained.”

His two remaining concerns were adequate drainage to mitigate the risk of future flooding and maintaining traffic lights.

“I want to protect the small-town character of Port Orange and our parks and recreational areas so we can continue to provide housing for all of our residents,” he said at the time.

Newsweek contacted Green, the City of Port Orange Public Information Office and the Volusia Sheriff’s Office via email seeking comment.

Mialki, who lost the primary to Green, also listed public safety as one of his top three priorities at the time.

He said, “Public Safety: Working hand in hand with our men and women in law enforcement and fire services to protect our citizens and city.”

When asked why he was running, he said he wanted to “work to protect their safety and rights as residents.”

Newsweek contacted Mialki by email, asking for comment.

Florida did not rank among the top 10 states with the highest number of drunken-driving arrests, according to an analysis of FBI data conducted in June by High Rise Legal Funding, a company that provides loans to personal injury plaintiffs.

Newsweek created a map showing the top 10, with Alaska leading the nation with an “alarming rate” of 726.13 drunk driving arrests per 100,000 people. In one year, the state recorded a total of 3,227 drunk driving arrests.

After Alaska, South Dakota had the second-highest number of DUI arrests per capita, with a rate of 718.53 per 100,000 people. Pennsylvania was next, with 30,134 DUI arrests, or 526.28 per 100,000 people.