Crash Into Business Leads to DUI Arrest for Newberry Man

GAINESVILLE – A Newberry man was arrested after Gainesville Police say he drove his car into a real estate office near one of the city’s busiest corridors and showed signs of impairment during a post-crash investigation.

The crash happened shortly after midnight on Nov. 25, 2025, when officers were dispatched at about 12:17 a.m. to a report of a vehicle into a building at 5310 NW 8^th Avenue, just west of the intersection of West Newberry Road and NW 8^th Avenue. According to a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) report, arriving officers found that 28-year-old Shu Zhi Zhu had been behind the wheel of the vehicle that struck the office of The Mills Group of Keller Williams.

The crash caused visible damage to the building, though authorities did not report any injuries to occupants or bystanders. Officers said Zhu displayed several indicators of impairment while speaking with them at the scene. According to the arrest report, Zhu had difficulty maintaining his balance and was slurring his words as he interacted with officers.

Zhu reportedly told police he had not consumed any alcohol before driving. However, the responding officer wrote that Zhu performed poorly on standard field sobriety exercises conducted on scene. Based on those observations, police arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence.

After his arrest, Zhu was read his Miranda rights. According to the police report, he stated that he did not understand his rights and then refused to listen when officers attempted to re-explain them.

Zhu was taken to GPD Headquarters for further processing, where officers requested that he provide a lawful breath sample. The report states that he did not respond to repeated requests, and he was subsequently charged with refusal to submit to a breath test. Police also cited him for careless driving in connection with the crash.

Court records show that Zhu has no prior criminal history. Following his first appearance, Judge Meshon Rawls ordered that he be released on his own recognizance. As a condition of release, Zhu is required to wear a transdermal alcohol monitor, a device designed to detect alcohol consumption through the skin.

No injuries were reported, and the extent of structural damage to the real estate office has not yet been released by the business or city officials.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com