A Manatee County sheriff’s deputy arrested Mariah Irwin, 29, of Bradenton, July 30 for alleged cocaine possession and driving under the influence after she crashed her vehicle into Gaunt Inc., a book publisher at 3011 Gulf Drive N., Holmes Beach.
Possession of cocaine is classified as a third-degree felony. A DUI causing property damage is a first-degree misdemeanor.
The MCSO and Holmes Beach Police Department responded to the scene, where a witness said a motorist crashed into the building and then parked outside the Anchor Inn, 3007 Gulf Drive.
According to a police report, Irwin told an HBPD officer “she had struck the building and that she was drunk.”
Irwin failed field sobriety exercises conducted by the MCSO and registered breath samples with results of 0.146 and 0.150 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. The state’s legal blood alcohol limit for driving under the influence is 0.08.
The report also said the MCSO found two plastic bags containing cocaine in Irwin’s pocket.
Irwin was taken to the Manatee County jail, where she was released the next day after posting $3,500 bond.
If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony includes up to five years in jail.
Punishment for a first-degree misdemeanor includes up to a year in jail.
An arraignment will be Sept. 11 at the Manatee County Judicial Center in Bradenton.
