An Ocala woman, who was reportedly more than three times over the legal blood alcohol content limit, was arrested after allegedly crashing her SUV into construction signs along Interstate 75 and leading troopers on a brief chase.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, July 5, FHP received multiple calls regarding a gray Toyota SUV traveling southbound on I-75 near mile marker 352. Witnesses stated that the vehicle was unable to maintain its lane, fluctuating in speed, and had crashed into construction signs and a guardrail before continuing down the interstate, according to the arrest report.
An FHP trooper located the damaged SUV on I-75, near State Road 200, where it was reportedly swerving onto the left shoulder and traveling below the posted minimum speed limit. After the trooper positioned his marked vehicle behind the SUV and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver – later identified as 58-year-old Priscilla Renee Varnes – allegedly continued traveling southbound at speeds of around 40 miles per hour.
According to the report, the trooper executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver, intentionally striking the rear of the Toyota and causing it to spin counterclockwise into the side of the patrol car. Once the Toyota came to a halt, Varnes reportedly ignored verbal commands to step outside, forcing the trooper to shatter a window to remove her from the vehicle.
A trooper noted in the report that Varnes smelled strongly of alcohol, had heavily slurred speech, and had difficulty maintaining her balance. In addition, she was allegedly unable to answer basic questions such as providing the current year or naming the U.S. president.
Varnes was transported to a local hospital, where she reportedly told troopers she had finished an overtime shift at a Gainesville hospital at 9 p.m. and was in the process of heading home. The report mentioned that there was an unexplained three-hour gap leading up to the midnight incident, though Varnes denied consuming alcoholic beverages or taking any medication.
However, hospital staff reportedly later informed troopers that Varnes’ toxicology results from a blood sample revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.287, which is over three times the legal limit of 0.08.
Upon her medical discharge, Varnes was placed under arrest and booked into Marion County Jail. She was released later the same day after posting bond, and she is facing the following charges: fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer with lights and sirens active, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving under the influence with property damage, and leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage.
A court date for Varnes has not yet been scheduled, according to jail records.