A 61-year-old Ocala woman was arrested earlier this month on a drunk driving charge after she was unable to recite the alphabet during a traffic stop.
On Friday, April 5, an off-duty Marion County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant observed a vehicle that was driving erratically on SE Maricamp Road. According to the arrest report, the vehicle was continuously swerving and crossing the center line.
When the vehicle approached a red traffic light, the driver – later identified as Tammy Angel – nearly rear-ended a stopped vehicle. When the light turned green, Angel’s vehicle allegedly began swerving again, and the lieutenant conducted a traffic stop.
Angel was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. The arrest report stated that Angel’s speech was slurred, and she had a “strong smell of alcohol.”
After being instructed to place her vehicle in park, Angel briefly struggled with this task before handing her keys to the lieutenant. Paramedics soon arrived on scene, and they confirmed that she was not having a medical emergency, according to the report.
An MCSO corporal arrived on scene to assist with the traffic stop. The corporal noted in the report that Angel had “bloodshot watery eyes,” and her speech was “very slurred [and] mumbled.” She told the corporal that she had consumed two alcoholic beverages earlier in the day.
Angel was ordered to exit her vehicle, and she was unable to stand on her own. She had to lean against the vehicle, and the corporal conducted seated field sobriety exercises due to Angel’s alleged level of intoxication.
One of those exercises tasked Angel with reciting the alphabet. During this exercise, she was unable to recall a majority of the letters, and law enforcement informed her that she was being placed under arrest for driving under the influence.
Due to Angel’s condition, she was transported to a local hospital for a further evaluation. After being medically cleared, she was transported to Marion County Jail.
Angel was released from jail the following day after posting a $2,000 bond. She is being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
A court date has been scheduled at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, according to jail records.