A Villager nabbed on a driving under the influence charge while at the wheel of a golf cart wanted law enforcement to let her off with a warning.
Donna Frances Hansen, 62, of the Village of Chatham, was driving the golf cart at about 7 p.m. Saturday on Mulberry Lane near the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center when she swerved into another vehicle’s lane of traffic and almost hit the curb, according to an arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The other person stopped to see if Hansen needed assistance and discovered the New York native was apparently under the influence. There was an alcoholic beverage in the center console of the golf cart.
A Marion County sheriff’s deputy responded to the scene and found that Hansen’s “words were extremely slurred and mumbled,” according to the arrest report. The deputy attempted to have Hansen take part in field sobriety exercises, but she “almost fell over, stumbling backwards.”
A criminal history check revealed she has six prior convictions for driving under the influence, including convictions in Broward, Volusia and Palm Beach counties. Her driver’s license is currently suspended.
Hansen said she drank “one or two White Claws” and had taken xanax prior to driving the golf cart. She also said she takes morphine and oxycodone and knows she should not drink with those medications.
However, she asked the deputy if he would “just issue her a warning,” according to the arrest report. She added that she is “close” to getting her driver’s license reinstated.
She provided a breath sample that was not measurable, however, she provided a urine sample.
She was arrested on a felony charge of driving under the influence and a misdemeanor charge of driving while license suspended. She was booked at the Marion County Jail on $10,000 bond.