Suspected drunk driver arrested near Water Oak after nearly sideswiping another vehicle

A drunk driving suspect was arrested after swerving across the road and almost sideswiping another driver, before pulling over at the entrance to Water Oak in Lady Lake.

An officer observed 21-year-old Shaniah Takirra Damu Bernadin of Dundee traveling 64 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone at the south end of Lady Lake around 12:55 a.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. She slowed down to 46 mph for a green light at the intersection of Eagles Nest Road and U.S. Hwy. 27/441.

The vehicle, a silver Toyota Corolla, then accelerated again to 52 mph. The officer began to follow it to run its tag, during which the vehicle slowed to 35 mph. It proceeded to swerve over into the bicycle lane near the Cove Apartments, 735 S U.S. Hwy. 27/441, where it stayed for two tenths of a mile, the report said.

On multiple occasions, the vehicle hit the white fog line on the right side of the road and crossed the dashed white lines on the left side of the lane. The officer subsequently turned on his emergency lights, to which the vehicle signaled to change lanes and almost sideswiped another driver, the report said.

The vehicle continued into the left lane, just south of Lady Lake Boulevard. It still had the left turn signal on and almost drove over the median into oncoming traffic. Bernadin kept going for about a mile before finally pulling into the community entrance of Water Oak, where she was immediately removed from the vehicle, the report said.

Bernadin agreed to participate in field sobriety exercises, and her performance led the officer to conclude she was under the influence. She then became irate and highly aggressive, failing to comply by screaming and passively resisting. She did not follow commands and slipped her handcuffs from the back to the front of her body twice on the way to jail, the report said.

She had to be restrained to the chair once at Lake County Jail. She directly refused to provide a breath sample after failing to cooperate. However, a search of the vehicle yielded a half-empty 1.5-liter bottle of Real Sangria that was cold to the touch with condensation. There were also three empty cans of White Russian cut water vodka and coffee liquor, 13 percent alcohol by volume, the report said.

Bernadin was charged with DUI, driving while license suspended or revoked, resisting without violence and refusal to provide breath sample. She was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,000 bond.