Man rips out vehicle breathalyzer system, claims someone stole it

Deputies say a man who was drinking ripped out his interlock ignition system and then claimed it was stolen after it recorded a failed a breath sample and wouldn’t allow his vehicle to start.

Jonathon Michalchick, 31, of Spring Hill, is charged with filing a false report stemming from an incident Oct. 19 when he claimed someone had broken into his 2002 GMC pickup and stole $10 along with his Life Safer Interlock Ignition System, according to a Hernando County Sheriff’s Office report.

The interlock device is used to prevent motorists from driving drunk. The driver has to blow into it to get his or her vehicle to start. They then have to provide further breath samples intermittently.

Michalchick admitted to deputies that on that day he blew into the device and it allowed him to drive — although it administered a warning. He pulled in behind a business, shut off the vehicle and then waited before providing two more samples.

Both times, his blood/alcohol content registered as being too high — preventing his vehicle from starting.

Enraged, Michalchick ripped the ignition system out of his vehicle and threw it away in an effort to prevent the machine from reporting his breathalyzer failure. He then staged the area to look like someone had broken into his vehicle.

He told deputies that he was still suffering from alcohol addiction.

Michalchick was taken to Hernando County Jail where his bond was set at $250.