A man accused of ‘driving a car on fire’ on U.S. 192 was arrested on DUI charges on Friday, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. Patrick Rinaldi, 60, was charged for driving under the influence and refusing to submit DUI testing after witnesses told deputies that Rinaldi had stopped but eventually got back in the vehicle and began driving with heavy smoke coming out of the car. “After driving a short distance, it stopped again, only now flames were taking over the vehicle, but Rinaldi drove away again,” the sheriff’s shared on Facebook. When deputies arrived, Brevard County Fire Rescue was observed putting out a brush fire that was allegedly started by the burning vehicle. Deputies say Rinaldi was driving with his wife inside the burning vehicle. Rinaldi escaped and was ‘barely able to help his wife escape from the fire.’ “As Deputies began talking to Rinaldi they realized there were even more problems as he smelled of alcohol,” the sheriff’s office said. “He said he only had one beer earlier, however, a bottle of liquor was located on the floorboard of the car, which in our line of work is called a clue.”

A man accused of ‘driving a car on fire’ on U.S. 192 was arrested on DUI charges on Friday, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

Patrick Rinaldi, 60, was charged for driving under the influence and refusing to submit DUI testing after witnesses told deputies that Rinaldi had stopped but eventually got back in the vehicle and began driving with heavy smoke coming out of the car.

“After driving a short distance, it stopped again, only now flames were taking over the vehicle, but Rinaldi drove away again,” the sheriff’s shared on Facebook.

When deputies arrived, Brevard County Fire Rescue was observed putting out a brush fire that was allegedly started by the burning vehicle.

patrick rinaldi

Brevard County Sheriff’s Office

Brevard County Fire Rescue responding to an area on U.S. 192 after Patrick Rinaldi is accused of driving a vehicle on fire that prompted a brush fire. 

Deputies say Rinaldi was driving with his wife inside the burning vehicle. Rinaldi escaped and was ‘barely able to help his wife escape from the fire.’

“As Deputies began talking to Rinaldi they realized there were even more problems as he smelled of alcohol,” the sheriff’s office said. “He said he only had one beer earlier, however, a bottle of liquor was located on the floorboard of the car, which in our line of work is called a clue.”