Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Wade Scott Hyde, 58, was arrested yesterday and charged with DUI, hit and run, drug possession, and attempting to bribe two officers to let him go.

At about 7 p.m. on December 27, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a report of a hit and run crash in the 1700 block of NW 12th Road and found a Camry that had hit two stop signs and a parked car before crashing into a tree. A witness and the first arriving officer reportedly said Hyde had been driving the car.

The arresting officer reported that Hyde smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages and had red eyes and slurred speech; he also reportedly had trouble standing and swayed from side to side.

Hyde reportedly performed poorly on field sobriety exercises and was arrested for driving under the influence; he reportedly refused to take a breath test.

While he was under arrest, Hyde allegedly asked two officers to let him go for $1,000; he allegedly said multiple times that he would give the officers $1,000 cash “to forget this happened and to go our separate ways.” When the officers refused, Hyde allegedly offered $2,000 “as a final offer” if they would release him.

A search of Hyde’s vehicle incident to arrest reportedly produced pipes for drug use with residue that looked and smelled like marijuana.

Hyde has three prior DUI convictions in 1991, 1993, and 1996. Judge Luis Bustamante set bail at $36,000.

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.