Naples Mayor Arrested for DUI After Following Couple Home and Hitting Mailbox
Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann, 61, found herself in hot water after being arrested for driving under the influence on Aug. 28. The incident unfolded when a couple reported to the Naples Police Department that they were being followed home by a woman driving a silver car, who turned out to be Mayor Heitmann.
The couple claimed that Heitmann’s car nearly ran a stop sign, forcing them to slam on their brakes. They also stated that she hit their mailbox and parked her car on their grass, prompting them to call 911. The dispatcher was informed that the suspect was claiming to be the mayor, which was later confirmed when Heitmann identified herself as such.
Upon police arrival, Heitmann allegedly denied being the mayor, stating that she was “not the mayor right now.” However, she was later caught on dash camera footage making contradictory statements. The officers observed signs of intoxication, including glassy eyes and slurred speech, leading to Heitmann failing the field sobriety tests and subsequently being arrested for DUI.
Heitmann’s blood alcohol content was measured at 0.155 and 0.169, well above Florida’s legal limit of 0.08. She was released on bond the following day and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 18. City Manager Jay Boodheshwar expressed the city employees’ sadness over the incident and assured that they would support Heitmann during this challenging time.
Heitmann, who is currently in her second term as mayor, faces legal consequences for her actions and will have to navigate the aftermath of her DUI arrest. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
