Holmes Beach police arrested resident Stephanie Naeher, 48, Sept. 4 on four felony and five misdemeanor charges, including resisting and battering a law enforcement officer, driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of a controlled substance.
An officer responded to reports of an intoxicated woman who walked out on a $51.22 tab at the Freckled Fin Irish Pub, 5337 Gulf Drive.
A caller provided a description of the woman’s vehicle, which an officer located traveling south on Flotilla Drive.
The officer activated his emergency lights on seeing the motorist run a stop sign.
The officer gave chase, and the motorist ran another stop sign and evaded police before parking in a residential driveway in the 500 block of 58th Street.
The officer pulled in behind the motorist and issued verbal commands for the driver, Naeher, to exit her vehicle.
She disobeyed his commands and tried to hide herself by blocking the windshield with a sunshade visor, getting in the back seat and placing a pillow over herself.
Backup officers arrived, but when police could not open the locked vehicle, an officer broke the driver-side window.
At that point, Naeher tried to exit through the front passenger door and was met by an officer, whom she kicked and knocked to the ground.
Another officer removed her from the vehicle and placed her in handcuffs.
A search of her vehicle uncovered five Alprazolam and four Metronidazole pills, neither of which were prescribed.
Naeher exhibited signs of impairment and refused to walk to an officer’s vehicle, so police carried her to the vehicle and placed her in the backseat.
She was transported to the Holmes Beach Police Department, where Manatee County Emergency Medical Services arrived to treat a minor chin injury Naeher sustained during the struggle.
She refused to perform field sobriety exercises before EMS arrived and EMS gave her medication that invalidated the exercises during transport to the HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton.
At the hospital, Naeher refused to provide blood for alcohol content testing.
After she was cleared, an officer transported her to the Manatee County jail. Along the way, she stated she was suicidal, so she was placed under the Baker Act.
Naeher was released Sept. 6 after posting $12,050 bond.
She is charged with:
- A third-degree felony for fleeing to elude law enforcement officers;
- A third-degree felony for resisting law enforcement with violence;
- A third-degree felony for battery on a law enforcement officer;
- A third-degree felony for possession of alprazolam, a controlled substance;
- A first-degree misdemeanor for obstructing law enforcement without violence;
- A first-degree misdemeanor for refusal to submit to testing;
- A second-degree misdemeanor for driving under the influence of alcohol;
- A second-degree misdemeanor for petit theft;
- A second-degree misdemeanor for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony charge include up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.
Punishment for a first-degree misdemeanor include up to one year in jail, one year of probation and a fine of up to $1,000.
Second-degree misdemeanor charges are punishable with up to 60 days in jail, six months of probation and a fine of up to $500.
An arraignment will be at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.