A snowbird has been ordered to stay away from booze after a drunk driving arrest in The Villages.
Laurie Freedman, 63, of Salem, N.H., pleaded no contest Wednesday in Lake County Court to a charge reckless driving reduced from a charge of driving under the influence. She has been placed on probation for one year and ordered to perform 25 hours of community service, although she will be allowed to “buy out” of the service at a rate of $10 per hour. She has also been ordered not to possess or consume alcohol and she must seek an alcohol evaluation.
Freedman was at the wheel of a 2007 Volkswagen at 10:45 p.m. Jan. 12 when she failed to maintain a single lane while traveling at 35 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 at Main Street at the entrance to Spanish Springs, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. A traffic stop was initiated near the Boone Gate on the Historic Side of The Villages.
Freedman’s pupils were dilated and her speech was slurred. She was invited to participate in field sobriety exercises, but she claimed she was suffering a panic attack. Lake County Fire Rescue was called to the scene and evaluated Freedman, but she refused any treatment. She also refused to take part in field sobriety exercises and claimed, “I only had one glass of wine.” Freedman also refused to provide a breath sample. “I’m not doing anything without my lawyer,” she told police. She later retained the services of Lake County attorney Benjamin Boylston, who successfully negotiated the charge down from a DUI to reckless driving.
