A Florida mother is facing multiple charges after she was caught driving 20 miles per hour on I-10 while under the influence. To make matters even more severe, her three-year-old child was riding in the backseat, with another child left home alone.
Law enforcement in Jacksonville says that the incident started when an officer noticed a vehicle speeding at an alarming rate on I-10. The driver was going approximately 120 MPH, which automatically triggers Florida’s Super Speeder law.
It was only after a traffic stop was conducted that officers even realized that the toddler was in the backseat. After this discovery, the next discovery was made by the suspect’s own admission.
She can be heard saying, “I’m just trying to get home to my other kid, too.” Officers were in disbelief, with one officer being heard saying, “You think that’s a safe way of driving with him?”
Speeding Violation Turns Into So Much More
Officials also detected the smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The driver continuously explained that the drug had been inside the car, but she had not used any of it. She also admitted to drinking a few glasses of wine after her work shift ended.
DUI Officer Ernesto Valerio was called to the scene, where he performed a full DUI investigation. Ultimately, it was determined that the woman was impaired while driving the vehicle.
While searching the car, a lit marijuana joint as well as a few empty bottles of alcohol were found. This only raised further concerns about the woman’s condition behind the wheel and, ultimately, the safety of the child.
Getting Home to Her Other Child
After further investigation, it was revealed that she was speeding to get back home to her 10-year-old son whom she had left home alone while she got food. It wasn’t made apparent how long the child had been left at home alone or whether any additional charges concerning the child will be pursued.
The woman ended up being arrested and charged with a litany of offenses related to violating Florida’s Super Speeder Law. The law makes it a criminal offense to drive more than 100 MPH or exceed the posted limit by 50 MPH or more.
Currently, the woman’s identity has not been revealed to the public. However, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office did take a moment to stress the dangers of situations such as these.
Officers Warn About Reckless Driving
Authorities stressed that the combination of impairment, speed, and the presence of a young child created a very dangerous situation; one that could have ended in tragedy. Officials said that reckless driving decisions can have decastating consequences.
“We;re serious about traffic safety, Jacksonville. Drive sober and drive the speed limit. Or espect to see our flashing lights in your rearview soon.”
As with all criminal cases, the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Local authorities did not release the driver’s name or additional identifying information. When agencies provide limited details, we supplement reporting with local news coverage, public records, and direct outreach whenever possible. In this case, no additional information was available at the time of publication.