A Villager who got lucky and escaped a drunk driving conviction after drinking and dancing at town square has been jailed for violating her probation.
Janet Malinda McKnight, 66, of the Ivystone Villas, was arrested by Marion County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday at her home on a Sumter County warrant charging her with violating her probation. She was booked without bond at the Marion County Jail pending her transfer to the Sumter County Detention Center.
Earlier this year, McKnight pleaded no contest to a charge of reckless driving, which had been reduced from a charge of driving under the influence. She was placed on probation for six months.
At the time of her original arrest, McKnight was driving a gray 2012 Toyota “at a high rate of speed” at about 8:30 p.m. Dec. 8 on El Camino Real, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. She was caught on radar traveling at 56 miles per hour in the 35 mph zone.
During a traffic stop, a deputy noticed that she had “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath,” the report said. She said she had been dancing for more than an hour at Spanish Springs Town Square where she had two cups of Pinot Grigio wine with food. McKnight said she decided to leave because a male “was getting too touchy on the dance floor.”
She was asked to participate in field sobriety exercises, but complained to the deputy that she has had back surgeries and has a screw in her left foot. The deputy pointed out McKnight said she had been dancing at the square. She struggled through the exercises and had trouble maintaining her balance. She refused to attempt the one legged stand. She provided breath samples that registered .03 and .028 blood alcohol content, which were below the .08 legal limit.
McKnight had also been issued a ticket for speeding. The ticket was dismissed.