Alachua man arrested for driving tractor on High Springs Main Street while drunk

Staff report

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Rance Edward Shannon, 60, of Alachua, was arrested yesterday and charged with driving under the influence and driving without a valid license after allegedly weaving across lanes in a tractor on High Springs Main Street.

At about 4:41 p.m. on August 19, a High Springs Police Department officer saw a green John Deere tractor traveling north on High Springs Main Street; he reported that the tractor traveled across a double yellow line twice and entered the opposite lane of travel to pass a line of cars.

The officer conducted a traffic stop, and the driver reportedly gave him a Florida identification card instead of a driver’s license. The officer noted that there were two beers on the floorboard of the tractor, and he noticed a strong odor of urine and alcohol while speaking to Shannon. Shannon’s speech was reportedly slurred, and the officer reported that he had difficulty standing up when he got out of the tractor.

Shannon was reportedly unable to perform field sobriety exercises “due to his level of influence.”

Shannon has 16 felony convictions (five violent), including two felony DUI convictions, and 36 misdemeanor convictions (none violent), including three misdemeanor DUI convictions. He has served seven state prison sentences, with his most recent release in September 2023. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $4,000 with a requirement for a Transdermal Alcohol Detection device.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.