The golf pro at Palmer Legends Golf and Country Club in The Villages is facing a charge of driving under the influence stemming from his arrest on his way home from Leesburg Bikefest.
Mark Verkey, 42, of Oxford, was driving north on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 near Griffin State Park shortly after midnight April 26, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Verkey’s Toyota Tundra pickup rapidly approached behind three motorcycles and Verkey began swerving side to side in an attempt to get the motorcycles to move, the arrest report stated. The pickup was about two feet from the rear of the motorcycles, the report noted.
Verkey voluntarily told the deputy who pulled him over that he had come from Bikefest and had consumed several beers that evening, the report said.
Verkey was asked by the deputy to perform field sobriety exercises. The deputy determined that Verkey had been driving impaired, the report said.
Verkey was transported to the Lake County Jail where he posted $500 bond and was released with a court date of May 14.
He is the facility manager and head golf professional at Palmer Legends.
