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Palm Bay officer allows other officer to call for ride home during sobriety test

Palm Bay officer awarded for DUI arrests lets Melbourne officer go

PALM BAY, Fla. – A sobriety test last week was cut short even though the officer believed the driver who was speeding and swerving may have been over the limit.

Palm Bay police said the traffic stop was a close call for Peter Dolci, who is also a police officer.

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The two officers are seen recognizing each other on police body camera video.

Police said Dolci was a Palm Bay probation officer from 2015 to 2017 and now he works for the Melbourne Police Department.

Police identified the Palm Bay officer as Eddy Lutz, who Mothers Against Drunk Driving awarded for making more than 1,000 DUI arrests in his career.

One of those was a police officer. Lutz gave Melbourne Officer Audrey Poole a DUI in 2018.

But video of the incident from Jan. 20 shows the same didn’t happen for Dolci. He told Lutz the passenger in his car was drinking but he wasn’t.

‘’I’m going to trust that you wait to get picked up,’’ Lutz is heard saying to Dolci before the video concludes.

Melbourne police did not comment on the video Friday.

Palm Bay police said Lutz’s conduct was reviewed and he will not be disciplined.


About the Author

James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter. His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began. James is from Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

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