Illegal alien arrested for DUI with three-year-old child in the car

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Simon Ojeda-Cabellero, 34, was arrested last night for allegedly driving under the influence without a license and with a three-year-old child in the car; he is from Mexico, and his wife reportedly said he is in the United States illegally.

At about 9:01 p.m. on August 9, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Ojeda-Cabellero’s vehicle in the 5500 block of SW Archer Road because the vehicle was swerving and did not maintain its lane of travel.

The deputy noted that there was a three-year-old child in the back seat of the vehicle, and Ojeda-Cabellero smelled like alcoholic beverages and had slurred speech, a flushed face, dilated pupils, and bloodshot eyes. The deputy reported that there was a cold Modelo beer can in plain view in the vehicle.

Ojeda-Cabellero reportedly performed poorly on field sobriety exercises and was placed under arrest; at the jail, his breath tests were both 0.102 g/210L.

Post Miranda, Ojeda-Cabellero reportedly said he’d only had two Mexican beers, about one or two hours before the traffic stop.

The deputy noted that Ojeda-Cabellero’s wife stated at the scene that Ojeda-Cabellero is in the United States illegally; when Ojeda-Cabellero was asked about his immigration status, he reportedly refused to answer the question. Ojeda-Cabellero was identified with a Mexican identification card.

Ojeda-Cabellero has been charged with DUI with a child under the age of 18 in the vehicle, child neglect, and driving without a valid license. His full criminal history is unavailable because the documents are not posted in cases involving minors, but he has a 2019 conviction for driving without a valid license. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $37,000.

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.