Polk County Sheriff’s Phone# 863-298-6200
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Mar 1, 2025
Valrico man with two prior DUI arrests caught driving impaired again in Polk with two kids in car
Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, Administrator
Polk County Sheriff's deputies patrolling the I-4 area in Davenport arrested a Valrico man for DUI and child abuse after observing him driving impaired, in the eastbound emergency lane (shoulder) of I-4, with two kids in the vehicle.
After making the traffic stop around 6:15 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2025, the deputy observed 46-year-old James Ray Tompkins (DOB 11/11/1978) to have glassy, watery, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and swaying upon exiting his red SUV. The deputy also detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from him.
Tompkins told the deputy he was taking the two children, ages 5 and 8 years old, from Valrico to Disney World. He said he was driving on the shoulder due to all the traffic congestion. He also said that he had had "one bourbon mixed drink." He showed multiple signs of impairment during the field sobriety tests that were administered, and refused to submit samples of his breath for a breath alcohol content test upon his arrival at the Sheriff's Processing Center (booking facility).
A check of his criminal history revealed two prior arrests and five separate convictions for DUI charges in Highlands and Hillsborough counties:
June 2007 - convicted of DUI, and DUI refusing to submit to breath alcohol content test in Highlands County
June 2012 - convicted of DUI serious bodily injury, DUI property damage, and DUI refusing to submit to breath alcohol content test in Hillsborough County.
Tompkins is now being charged with DUI 3rd or subsequent offense (M1), refusing to submit to BAL test (M1), DUI with children under 18 in car (M2), and two counts of negligent child abuse (F3).
"What a poor excuse for a man in charge of two little kids. This is why my deputies are patrolling the major highways in our county every day in an effort to prevent high-speed traffic crashes and to get impaired drivers off the road. Clearly his previous arrests and convictions have not taught Tompkins a lesson, but perhaps the new felony charges of child abuse will sink in. I'm very grateful those children are okay." - Grady Judd, Sheriff
After making the traffic stop around 6:15 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2025, the deputy observed 46-year-old James Ray Tompkins (DOB 11/11/1978) to have glassy, watery, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and swaying upon exiting his red SUV. The deputy also detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from him.
Tompkins told the deputy he was taking the two children, ages 5 and 8 years old, from Valrico to Disney World. He said he was driving on the shoulder due to all the traffic congestion. He also said that he had had "one bourbon mixed drink." He showed multiple signs of impairment during the field sobriety tests that were administered, and refused to submit samples of his breath for a breath alcohol content test upon his arrival at the Sheriff's Processing Center (booking facility).
A check of his criminal history revealed two prior arrests and five separate convictions for DUI charges in Highlands and Hillsborough counties:
June 2007 - convicted of DUI, and DUI refusing to submit to breath alcohol content test in Highlands County
June 2012 - convicted of DUI serious bodily injury, DUI property damage, and DUI refusing to submit to breath alcohol content test in Hillsborough County.
Tompkins is now being charged with DUI 3rd or subsequent offense (M1), refusing to submit to BAL test (M1), DUI with children under 18 in car (M2), and two counts of negligent child abuse (F3).
"What a poor excuse for a man in charge of two little kids. This is why my deputies are patrolling the major highways in our county every day in an effort to prevent high-speed traffic crashes and to get impaired drivers off the road. Clearly his previous arrests and convictions have not taught Tompkins a lesson, but perhaps the new felony charges of child abuse will sink in. I'm very grateful those children are okay." - Grady Judd, Sheriff