Teen driver arrested for drunk driving

Historic City News was notified that Friday morning at about 5:04 a.m., St Augustine Police Officer Cecilia Aiple was sitting in her parked patrol vehicle when she spotted a car going the wrong way on Granada Street.

According to the incident report, Aiple observed a teenaged driver who was not wearing his seat belt. Aiple followed the vehicle west on King Street for a short distance, eventually pulling the vehicle over in the parking lot at Carmelo’s Marketplace.

As Aiple approached the driver, 19-year-old Austin J. Markis, who resides at 11348 Finchley Lane in Jacksonville, she reported that she could smell a strong odor of alcohol on his breath as he spoke.

Markis was arrested and transported to the St Johns County Detention Facility where he was administered an alcohol breath test. Markis’ blood alcohol level was .192 according to the test. Because he is under 21-years-old, and because the tested indicated a blood alcohol level of .02 or higher; Markis will automatically have his driver’s license suspended for 6 months in accordance with Florida’s “zero tolerance law”.