Pilot suspended after DUI

NAPLES, Fla. - An American Airlines pilot, who was arrested Sunday near Mercato on a DUI charge, has been removed from duty, according to an airline spokesman.

Jimmy Carrillo, 35, of Daytona Beach, was driving a 2014 gray Buick rental car at 2:11 a.m. south on Strada Place when he failed to stop at the flashing red signal, pulling out in front of a deputy and another driver, according to the arrest report.

Carrillo told the deputy he just left Blue Martini, according to the report.

When asked how many drinks he had, Carrillo held up four fingers and said two drinks, reports said. He later said he had two martinis.

Carrillo, who is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a captain with PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, and has been a pilot with the airline since April 2007American Airlines spokesman Andrew Christie said.

“He has been removed from duty pending an internal investigation as a result of the DUI,” he said.

According to the report, Carrillo told the officer that he could call someone else to come drive or take a cab because he “has too much to lose.”

Carrillo told deputies that he “wouldn’t fly an airplane for the next 12 hours,” but felt he was capable of driving a car, reports said. His blood alchol level was 0.095. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.

According to Federal Aviation Administration regulations, a pilot can’t fly within eight hours of alcohol consumption or while having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater.

The deputy also issued Carrillo two written warnings for violation of a traffic control device and for improperly stopping in a crosswalk.

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US Airways pilot arrested for DUI 

 COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.- He's been a US Airways pilot for seven years.  But now, the company tells WINK News, Jimmy Carrillo is suspended while they investigate the 35 year old's arrest late Sunday in North Naples.

Deputies said they pulled him over when he didn't stop at a stop bar near the Mercato on US 41. He told them he had just left the entertainment complex after drinking at the Blue Martini. When asked how much he'd consumed, Carrillo allegedly "held up four fingers and said 'two drinks.'"

He also told Deputies it was his second time in Fort Myers and "he wouldn't fly an airplane for the next twelve hours, but for some reason felt he was still capable of driving a car."

WINK News did some research, the Federal Aviation Administration said pilots can't fly within 8 hours of drinking alcohol. WINK News spoke with a pilot at the Naples Municipal Airport, who has his commercial license. He said Carrillo could have put passengers at risk.

"I would say yes, in my opinion flying a very complex high performance air craft within 12 hours of consuming alcohol is very poor judgement."

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