High Springs Man Arrested for Second DUI In Just Over a Month

GAINESVILLE ‒ A High Springs man was arrested Wednesday evening, Oct. 1, 2025, after allegedly driving under the influence, hitting multiple vehicles, and crashing into a wooden fence in northwest Gainesville. Deputies say the man, 42-year-old Jason Michael Hemphill, was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when tested nearly two hours after the incident.

The crash occurred around 5:39 p.m. near the intersection of Northwest 23^rd Avenue and Northwest 63^rd Terrace, where Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies and a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Trooper responded to reports of a black Ram pickup truck that had left the roadway and struck a fence. Upon arrival, the trooper found Hemphill appearing visibly impaired and struggling to remain standing.

According to the arrest report, Hemphill’s driver’s license had been suspended since Aug. 30, 2025, the same day he was previously arrested in Bradford County on a separate DUI charge. At the Gainesville scene, witnesses reportedly told law enforcement that they saw Hemphill behind the wheel of the truck that struck their parked cars before veering off the road into the fence.

The trooper noted that Hemphill’s speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol. Hemphill allegedly made spontaneous remarks indicating confusion, saying he did not recall what had happened or understand the situation.

After being advised of his Miranda rights, Hemphill declined to answer further questions but agreed to perform field sobriety exercises. However, officers said he was only able to complete one — the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test — which he failed due to being unable to stand unassisted.

Following his arrest, Hemphill was transported to the Alachua County Jail, where he provided two breath samples registering 0.172 and 0.177, more than twice Florida’s legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08. The tests were administered nearly two hours after the crash, suggesting his blood alcohol concentration had likely been higher at the time of the incident.

Hemphill was charged with driving under the influence (DUI), DUI with property damage, and driving with a suspended license. Court records show a history of prior offenses, including one felony conviction and five misdemeanors, one of which was violent.

His criminal history includes a 2014 arrest for leaving the scene of a crash with serious injury after hitting a cyclist and failing to render aid. He later entered a plea of nolo contendere and was sentenced to one year of house arrest followed by two years of probation, with adjudication withheld.

In 2023, Hemphill was arrested for stalking a manager at a former workplace. He again entered a plea of nolo contendere and was sentenced to one year of probation.

At the time of his most recent arrest, Hemphill was on pre-trial release following his August 30 DUI arrest in Bradford County, under conditions that prohibited him from possessing or consuming alcohol or illegal drugs.

Judge Jonathan Ramsey set Hemphill’s bail at $30,000. Court records indicate that prosecutors may seek to revoke his pre-trial release in the Bradford County case due to the new charges.

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