Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann was taken into custody Wednesday evening after reportedly failing a sobriety test, with her blood alcohol level found to be more than double the legal limit.
Newly released bodycam footage and 911 audio are shedding light on the moments leading up to the arrest of Florida Mayor Teresa Heitmann.
Heitmann, the mayor of Naples, Florida was seen attempting to perform sobriety tests Wednesday evening after she was caught driving with a blood alcohol level over twice the legal limit, per Fox affiliate, WFTX.
Naples Police say they responded to a 911 call from a man who reported a woman in a silver car following him and his wife home. The caller said the woman claimed to be the mayor and looked like she was drunk.
“911, what is your emergency?” the dispatcher asked. “Yeah, um, I think the mayor is drunk,” the caller said. “… oh, she just drove over our mailbox.”
In the audio obtained by WFTX, the caller said Heitmann followed him several blocks before getting out of her car and talking him, where he said she seemed “intoxicated.”
In the background of the call, Heitmann can be heard saying otherwise, telling the man, “I am not.”
When officers arrived, they found Heitmann standing outside the home, where they stated she was slurring her words. It’s then they began several field sobriety tests to see if she was drunk.
Dash camera footage sees Heitmann claim she only had one glass of wine and did nothing wrong, but the local mayor failed three sobriety tests, and was unable to walk in a straight line.
“You’re slurring your words a little bit here,” an officer is heard saying in the video. “No, sir, I am not slurring my words — I have sat here calmly,” Heitmann said. The officer replied, “Calmly is a loose term. I’ve heard you yelling at my officers.” Heitmann replied, “I did not yell at them!”
The Naples Police Department says a breathalyzer test showed her blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit.
Heitmann was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and her car was towed away.
She was taken to the Naples Jail Center, where she was kept overnight before being released Thursday on $500 bond. Hetimann is expected to be arraigned on September 18.
TooFab has reached out to Mayor Heitmann’s office for comment but has yet to hear back.
Naples City Manager, Jay Boodheshwar, meanwhile did speak out on the matter, releasing a statement following Heitmann’s arrest: “City employees were saddened to learn about the incident involving the Mayor. We know this is a difficult time for Mayor Heitmann and will give her the space she needs.”
He continued, “The Naples community should rest assured our City team is committed and dedicated to serving our residents. I have 100% confidence that our City employees will not let this incident affect service delivery to our community.”
via: TooFab
