Woman Arrested for DUI on Thanksgiving After Sleeping in her Car

Around 3:41 AM on November 24, 2022, Officer Danielle Braun with the Ocala Police Department responded to a report of a female who was “slumped over” behind the wheel of a white 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan at the Circle K located on 245 NE 28th Avenue. She and another officer made contact with the caller before knocking on her windows and awakening the occupant of the vehicle. The occupant told Officer Braun that she did not have her driver’s license with her, but she identified herself as 27-year-old Ella.

As Officer Braun was speaking with Ella, she detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Ella was offered an opportunity to have her friend come and get her, but her friend was also under the influence and unable to drive. Since Officer Braun believed that Ella was not able to safely operate a motor vehicle, she initiated a DUI investigation. Ella was asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises.

Officer Braun started with the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Ella did not touch heel-to-toe on each step and failed to turn the first time. She attempted the test again but she was unable to follow instructions. The second exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Officer Braun observed the lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. The this field sobriety exercise was the One Leg Stand test, and Ella failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion, did not count aloud as instructed, and placed her foot down before the test was complete. The final exercise was the recitation of the alphabet, and Ella was unable to do this in the correct sequence.

Based on her being asleep behind the wheel, the odor of alcohol, and her inability to adequately perform the field sobriety exercises, Ella was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. After Ella was placed in the car, she was transported by Officer Braun to the Marion County Jail. Officer Matthews stayed behind as her vehicle was towed by Carl Johnson’s Towing.

Ella was booked into the Marion County Jail at 4:42 AM. She agreed to submit breath samples and her breath test results indicated BAC levels of .145 g/210L and .144 g/210L, which would be almost double the legal limit of 0.08%. Ella waived her Miranda rights and admitted to consuming 5 drinks at several bars earlier that evening. Ella was charged with driving under the influence (F.S.S. 316.193.1C) and later released the same day at 3:34 PM. Her case was later disposed of on January 25, 2023. A total of $1,605.81 in fines have been assessed against her according to court records.

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