A Lady Lake woman found herself behind bars Monday morning after swerving into oncoming traffic that included a school bus.
A Marion County sheriff’s sergeant stopped a gray Toyota Corolla shortly after 8 a.m. in the 9000 block of Magnolia Avenue in Ocala to check on the well-being of the driver, later identified as 25-year-old Miranda Nicole Pelton. The sergeant reported smelling the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from the vehicle and noted that Pelton’s eyes were bloodshot, a sheriff’s office report states.
A second deputy arrived and also noted the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage when speaking with Pelton, whose speech was slurred. The deputy also reported that Pelton’s face was flush, her eyes were bloodshot and her lips and teeth were red.
The deputy invited Pelton to participate in field sobriety exercises, which she refused to do. She was then placed under arrest and the deputy located a container of red boxed wine on top of clothing behind the passenger seat in her vehicle, the report says.
Pelton, who lives in the 2900 block of Pine Grove Ln. in Lady Lake, was transported to the Marion County Jail, where she again refused to participate in field sobriety exercises. She also refused to provide breath samples and was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. She was released early Tuesday morning on $1,000 bond and her next court date hasn’t yet been set, jail records show.
