A Wildwood woman said she was “sorry” after trying to outrun law enforcement during a chase in Ocala.
Donna Marie Smith, 32, was at the wheel of a black Toyota Corolla at about 1:45 a.m. Monday in Ocala when a Marion County sheriff’s deputy ran the license plate and discovered the vehicle’s registered owner did not have a valid driver’s license. The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but rather than pulling over, Smith hit the gas.
Additional deputies joined the pursuit and succeeded in forcing Smith to stop.
Deputies asked Smith why she fled.
“I don’t have a valid license,” she said.
The report noted that Smith repeatedly said, “I’m sorry.”
Deputies confirmed that Smith has a previous conviction in Sumter County for no valid driver’s license.
A passenger in her vehicle was identified as 29-year-old Lucas Alexander Dean of Ocala. He told deputies he had urged Smith to pull over, advising her that the charge she potentially faced was “only a misdemeanor.”
It appeared something had been thrown from the passenger window during the pursuit. Deputies found individual baggies which contained a white powdery substance, which tested positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine. An inventory of the vehicle turned up syringes, two electronic scales and foil with burn marks.
Smith was arrested on charges of fleeing to elude police and driving without a valid license. She was booked on $5,000 bond at the Marion County Jail.
Dean was arrested on charges of drug trafficking and possession of a controlled substance. He was booked at the jail and released on his own recognizance.
