A 21-year-old resident of the Twisted Oaks development in Wildwood was arrested early Sunday morning after she allegedly rear-ended another vehicle while driving under the influence.
Caitlin Anne Perusse was driving a Kia Soul at about 2 a.m. when she crashed into the back of a white SUV that was stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of County Road 484 and Marion Oaks Course, according to an arrest report from the Florida Highway Patrol. A witness told troopers they had observed the Kia driving erratically and were already on the phone with 911 when the collision occurred.
The crash caused heavy front-end damage to the Kia, deploying its airbags, while the SUV sustained heavy rear-end damage.
When troopers spoke with Perusse, they noted she had watery eyes, slurred speech, and was swaying. She also stumbled multiple times while walking back to her vehicle to retrieve her documents. Investigators noted Perusse was chewing a piece of gum in an apparent attempt to mask the odor of alcohol on her breath.
Perusse, a native of Maryland, told troopers she was driving from her home in Wildwood to her boyfriend’s house and claimed she had been distracted by her cell phone because she was trying to change a song.
She agreed to participate in voluntary field sobriety exercises but struggled throughout the tests. She missed heel-to-toe steps, took an incorrect number of steps, and nearly lost her balance during the one-leg stand. Perusse initially refused to provide a breath sample but relented after being read the implied consent warning. She provided two breath samples that registered .131 and .120 blood alcohol content.
Perusse was transported to UF Health Shands Ocala for medical clearance before being booked at the Marion County Jail on charges of driving under the influence and DUI with property damage. She was released after posting $2,000 bond.