Monroe County sheriff arrests man on DUI and child neglect charges

Monroe County deputies arrested Jamie Allan Koval, 38, of Big Pine Key, at 4:04 a.m. on Key Deer Boulevard and booked him on DUI, DUI unlawful blood alcohol, felony child neglect, resisting officer and two intimidation counts, according to the sheriff’s office arrest log. The log listed no bond and set arraignment for June 23 at 9 a.m.

Under Florida law, DUI can be proved by impairment of normal faculties or by a blood- or breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or higher. Child neglect is broader than a traffic offense: the statute covers a caregiver’s willful failure to provide the supervision and services a child needs, and it can be based on a single incident or omission that creates serious physical or mental injury, or a substantial risk of death, to a child. In the usual case without great bodily harm, it is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

MCSO’s public website also posts current arrests, current inmates, active calls and active warrants, and its arrest page reminds readers that people listed there have been arrested but not found guilty in court. The agency says it is a state and nationally accredited law enforcement agency, and the current-arrests page points users to court records and anonymous tip options.

For Monroe County families, the key point is that Florida child-neglect law does not wait for a child to be injured before a case can be filed. If an impaired driver puts a child at risk, the arrest can move quickly from a roadside stop to a felony charge, with the sheriff’s public records providing the clearest window into what happens next.