ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighter was arrested in St. Johns County early Sunday morning for driving under the influence, according to officials.
A JFRD spokesperson confirmed to First Coast News that Mark Schellinger, 43, has worked with the department since 2018 and is currently employed.
An arrest report states around 1:45 a.m., a deputy observed Schellinger's vehicle driving in the wrong direction in a parking area designated as a one-way.
As the vehicle entered South Castillo Drive, deputies said it began to weave within the lane of travel and drift over the marked lane divider. The report said the vehicle "nearly struck the raised concrete curb" of the roadway.
That's when a deputy initiated a welfare stop on the vehicle.
The deputy noted a smell of "strong and distinct odor of alcoholic beverages" coming from Schellinger's breath as he spoke with a "slurred" speech and his eyes were bloodshot and watery, the report states.
Due to the indicators of possible impairment, the deputy began to conduct a criminal DUI investigation.
Schellinger refused to provide a breath sample, but, according to the report, Schellinger performed poorly on standard field sobriety exercises and was ultimately arrested for driving under the influence.
He was booked into the St. Johns County Jail around 3 a.m. Sunday and was released later that afternoon, jail records show.
This arrest marks the third DUI arrest of a JFRD firefighter in 2024.
*This video is from a previous, unrelated report