A man faced charges after Florida Highway Patrol troopers reported finding him intoxicated with his young daughter on the Palmetto Expressway in Miami-Dade County.
Records show Bernard Smith was with his 9-year-old daughter inside a Jeep parked Saturday on the right shoulder of the Palmetto Expressway.
According to an arrest report, the girl was not wearing a seat belt, and Smith showed signs of impairment, including bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, and a strong smell of alcohol.
Smith failed the field sobriety tests he attempted along the westbound lanes of State Road 826 near Northwest 12 Avenue, records state.
A road ranger arrested Smith shortly before 2:45 a.m. Saturday. Miami-Dade prosecutors filed a case against him on Sunday, according to records.
Court documents show Smith has prior arrests involving the Opa-locka, Miami, and Miami-Dade Schools’ police departments, as well as the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Smith’s bond for a felony child neglect charge was set at $5,000. His arraignment in the child neglect case is scheduled for March 4, with Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge David Young expected to preside.