Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Timothy Anthony Muscarella, 54, was arrested last night and charged with driving under the influence (DUI) with serious bodily injury to another person and DUI with property damage after allegedly hitting a motorcyclist who sustained life-threatening injuries.

At about 8:30 p.m. last night, a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper responded to a crash at SE Hawthorne Road and SE 45th Terrace. Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies were already on scene and advised the trooper that the driver of a Kia Soul was possibly under the influence. The Kia, driven by Muscarella, had reportedly collided with a motorcycle, and the motorcyclist sustained life-threatening injuries.

The trooper reported that Muscarella was “very emotional” and had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. Post Miranda, Muscarella reportedly said he was coming from his house and that he’d had two or three drinks in the afternoon.

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Muscarella reportedly performed poorly on the field sobriety exercises and was placed under arrest. He reportedly refused to submit a sample for a breath test.

Muscarella has two felony convictions (two violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (none violent). He has a prior DUI conviction from 2008. He has served one state prison term for robbery and was released in 2003. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $40,000.

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.