Mom Accused Of DUI As Kids Cry In Back Seat
POSTED: Thursday, November 20, 2008
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A math professor driving with her two children in the car was arrested Wednesday evening after police investigating a minor car wreck accused her of driving under the influence.
Police said Heidi Howard, 42, had a strong odor of alcohol on her breath when questioned about a wreck on Rogero Road just before 8 p.m.
According to the arrest report, she claimed she swerved to avoid hitting a car and hit the median.
Police said Howard's two children were in the back seat crying while she submitted to a field sobriety test -- at one point saying "I can't do it." At one point an officer saw her almost fall into the street as she stood up.
Police said Howard admitted she had "sipped alcohol" earlier in the day and then said she had one small bottle of liquor after school. She also said she was taking medication for migrane headaches.
Officers said she spoke with slurred, mumbled speech as she said she needed to call her husband because she'd had too much to drink.
Howard was booked on a charge of driving under the influence, damage to person or property and careless driving. A spokesman for Florida Community College at Jacksonville said that since the incident occurred off campus, they had no comment.
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