Gainesville man arrested on DUI and drug charges after allegedly driving over 120 mph on I-75 and hitting another vehicle

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joseph Daniel Miranda, 32, was arrested early this morning after allegedly hitting another car on I-75 while driving under the influence at over 120 mph; after his car was searched, he was also charged with possession of distribution quantities of drugs and other charges.

At about 11:20 p.m. on August 16, a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper responded to a crash at the southbound 386 mile marker of I-75 and found Miranda detained in the back of an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle. A deputy reportedly told the trooper that Miranda appeared to be extremely intoxicated; the deputy also reported that Miranda had been driving over 120 mph in a 70-mph zone on I-75 and that he had seen Miranda crash into the rear of a second vehicle, causing both vehicles to lose control and swerve off the roadway.

Click here for Alachua County Sheriff’s Office video of the incident.

The trooper reported that Miranda was hard to understand because of his slurred speech, but Miranda reportedly said he had been traveling southbound on I-75 in the middle lane, and when he changed lanes to the outside lane, he lost control of his vehicle and crashed. Post Miranda, he reportedly said he did not want to make any statements and did not want to perform field sobriety exercises.

After Miranda was transported to the hospital, he reportedly refused to give consent for a urine sample. After being medically cleared, he was transported to the jail.

Meanwhile, the deputy noted that he could smell marijuana inside the vehicle and saw an open bottle of Don Julio liquor in plain view on the passenger side floorboard. A search of the vehicle reportedly produced 174 grams of marijuana, distributed into one large container and three baggies that each held about 30 grams. The search also produced about 5 grams of cocaine, empty baggies, a scale, and about $1,725 in cash, mostly $20 bills. The deputy noted, “In my training and experience, $20 bills are the most common denomination used for street level narcotics distribution.” A shotgun shell was reportedly found in the glove box.

Miranda has been charged with DUI, DUI with property damage, reckless driving over 100 mph, reckless driving with property damage, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. He has two felony convictions (one violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). In January 2023, he was sentenced to two years in state prison on charges in two cases, including aggravated assault, and he was released in July 2024. Judge Julie Johnson set bail on the new charges at $115,000.

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.