He was arrested for DUI, but no alcohol was detected in his breath, report says

“The driver had slurred speech and seemed disoriented,” his “pupils were pinpoint and his eyes were bloodshot,” but a test at the police station revealed he had no alcohol in his blood, according to a police report.

Myrtle Beach police say they approached 39-year-old Eric Thomas Murphy when they noticed he didn’t move his car when the traffic light turned green at the corner of Mr. Joe White Avenue and North Kings Highway late Wednesday night.

Murphy was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after police say he became argumentative in a field sobriety test. Murphy offered to provide a urine sample to test for impairing substances, but police say he “intentionally dropped his urine collection cup into the toilet.”

“The offender was advised that this was considered a refusal,” Officer T. Eppleman noted in his report.

Murphy was also charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of heroin after police say they found 8.7 grams of meth in a black glove near the driver’s seat and a slip of heroin in his possession.

This story was originally published December 15, 2017 at 8:21 AM with the headline "He was arrested for DUI, but no alcohol was detected in his breath, report says."