Ocala, Florida —An Ocala woman was arrested after she failed to comply with the terms of her felony probation following her arrest in May 2014.
It all started on May 13, 2014, when Ocala Police responded to Shuckers Oyster Bar on SW 16th Street, after receiving a call about an impaired driver. The caller stated that a female, who was believed to be intoxicated, was driving a white Jeep.
When an officer arrived, the white Jeep was parked in the rear of the businesses parking lot, but was unoccupied.
The officer left the area and parked across the street to close out the call. As he began to pull back onto SW 16th Street, he noticed the white Jeep exit the parking lot.
The driver of the Jeep spotted the OPD officer and attempted to make several turns and drive through business parking lots in an attempt to avoid the officer.
The Jeep ended up westbound on State Road 200. The Jeep was observed drifting from side to side, crossing over the lane divider, straddling the line. As the driver approached SW Martin Luther King Avenue, the Jeep abruptly changed lanes into the outside lane while passing another vehicle, then immediately pulled into the parking lot of a Citgo located at 1517 SW 10th Street.
Due to traffic, the officer could not safely follow the driver into the parking lot. Therefore, the officer drove to Jenkins Hyundai of Ocala and turned around.
According to the officer, as he approached the Citgo, the driver of the Jeep, identified as Karli-Jo Heath, 21, was standing in the parking lot smugly waving at the officer.
When the officer made contact with Heath and asked if she had been drinking, she stated she had not. However, the officer claimed he could smell a very strong odor of alcohol emitting from her person and breath every time she spoke.
While instructing Heath to perform a sobriety test, she attempted to walk away. The officer ordered her to stop, but she continued walking into the store; the officer then followed.
Despite several verbal orders, Heath refused to listen to the officer. The officer advised he would place her under arrest for obstruction if she did not comply, but Heath continued to walk away while inside the store.
The officer then grabbed Heath’s left wrist and attempted to place handcuffs on her. Heath then began punching the officer in the torso as she attempted to pull away.
The officer then pinned Heath against a display in the store so he could radio for backup. While he had her against the display, she began kicking the officer in his right shin. According to reports, the officer then released Heath, drew his Taser, and ordered her to put her hands behind her back or he would be forced to tase her.
Heath then placed her hands behind her back and was handcuffed.
Once outside, Heath began fighting officers while she was handcuffed. She kept pulling away while a female officer attempted to search [her].
Heath had to be hobbled and placed into the back of a patrol car. She was then transported to the Marion County Jail.
While at the jail, Heath refused to submit to a blood alcohol level test. She began yelling, “I was not driving. I was just standing on the sidewalk.”
Heath was charged with Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer (F), Resisting an Officer with Violence (F), Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Restricted License, Refusal to Submit to B.A.L. Test, and DUI.
Heath now faces charges of Violation of Probation.
Heath’s May arrest was her second DUI. She was previously arrested in December 2013 for DUI. This is also her second time violating her probation.
She was released on $12,500 bond.
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