MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A 31-year-old Big Pine Key woman was arrested Saturday on charges of DUI and child neglect after she was found driving erratically on U.S. 1 with an unrestrained 2-year-old in her vehicle.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a reckless driver around 10:48 a.m. near Mile Marker 31. Witnesses reported that the driver, later identified as Victoria Renae Lesley, was veering off the roadway, driving well below the speed limit, and appeared to be falling asleep at the wheel.
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Deputies stopped Lesley’s vehicle near Mile Marker 32.5 and found her visibly intoxicated, unable to stand without assistance. Inside the car, authorities discovered a half-empty bottle of vodka, a nitrous oxide canister, and a dispenser.
The unrestrained child was unharmed and was placed in the custody of a family member or friend.
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Lesley was transported to jail, where she fell asleep en route.
She later provided a breathalyzer sample revealing a blood alcohol content of .274, more than three times the legal limit. She faces charges of DUI, illegal possession of nitrous oxide, and child neglect.
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