An Ocala woman who ran a red light was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence on Wednesday in Marion County.
Marion County sheriff’s deputies were traveling westbound on SW State Road 200 when they observed a silver Volvo ahead of the patrol car turn left on SW SR 103 St. Road, running a red light, according to an arrest report. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and made contact with 40-year-old driver Stephanie Lynn Nicolaysen. While speaking with Nicolaysen, deputies could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from her breath. Nicolaysen’s speech was slurred and her eyes were bloodshot and watery. When asked how much she had been drinking, Nicolaysen said “two beers” with her last beer being “two minutes ago.”
After failing field sobriety exercises, Nicolaysen was placed under arrest, but begged deputies not to take her to jail on the way to Marion County Jail. Nicolaysen stated she drank three beers and two rum and cokes. She provided breath samples that registered .217 and .218 blood alcohol content.
Bond was set at $1,000.