A Villager arrested in June on a charge of driving under the influence has been sentenced on a reduced charge.
Laura Ann Lynch, 55, this past week in Sumter County Court pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of reckless driving.
She has been placed on probation for six months and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service.
At the time of her arrest, Lynch was argumentative with law enforcement and at one point told a deputy, “I don’t need this.”
She had been driving at about 10:30 p.m. at State Road 44 and County Road 173E when a deputy clocked her traveling at 80 miles per hour, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
“As I began to identify myself and the reason for the traffic stop, (Lynch) began to talk over me and demand to know why I stopped her. This continued three times until I requested for her to stop talking over me and allow me to explain,” the deputy wrote in the arrest report.
“When (Lynch) located her wallet she began demanding that I identify myself and what agency I represented, as well as stating that she was unlawfully detained and that she did not have to comply with my instruction,” the deputy wrote.
The deputy suspected Lynch had been drinking, and asked her to step out of her vehicle and take part in field sobriety exercises.
She initially refused and then said, “I don’t need this.”
Lynch continued to be uncooperative and did not obey instructions during field sobriety exercises.
“During the instruction, (Lynch) failed to keep her hands at her side and continued to cross them as well as raise one arm and point at my face while making statements towards me,” the report said.
The field sobriety exercises were not completed due to Lynch’s lack of cooperation, according to the report.
