A deputy with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested Dawn Santoro, 62, of Goshen Oct. 4 on a second-degree misdemeanor for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and a first-degree misdemeanor for refusal to submit to DUI testing.
Santoro was driving east in the 700 block of Manatee Avenue around 8:30 p.m. with no headlights in the rain, resulting in a traffic stop on the east side of the Anna Maria Island Bridge, according to a Holmes Beach police report.
Santoro, who displayed signs of impairment and admitted to drinking alcohol before driving, failed field sobriety exercises but declined to provide breath samples.
She was arrested and transported to the Manatee County jail, where she was released Oct. 5 after posting $1,000 bond.
If convicted, punishment for a first-degree misdemeanor includes up to one year in jail, one year of probation and a fine of up to $1,000.
Punishment for a second-degree misdemeanor includes up to 60 days in jail, six months of probation and a fine of up to $500.
An arraignment will be at 8:55 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Manatee County Judicial Center in Bradenton.