Man arrested for DUI after work, on way to ‘Smoke Out’

We all know the feeling of unwinding with a nice drink and snack after a long day of work, but one Bluffton restaurant worker might have taken it a little too far.

Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop at around 1:30 a.m. Friday near William Hilton Parkway and Merchant Street after noticing the driver of a black Acura swerve into the nearby lane, break for no apparent reason and nearly drive off the road and into the median several times, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report.

When asked where he was going, the driver told the reporting officer he had just left work at a Bluffton restaurant and was looking for something to eat at “Smoke Out.” The officer corrected the driver, saying the restaurant is called “Cook Out.”

The deputy asked the driver if he had anything to drink while at work, to which the driver replied “nothing.” The report notes that the driver was incapable of passing the deputy his license, slurred his speech and showed slow movements.

The driver was arrested for driving under the influence. He was later transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center and apparently never made it to “Smoke Out.”

This story was originally published January 7, 2017 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Man arrested for DUI after work, on way to ‘Smoke Out’."