Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann has been arrested for driving under the influence after allegedly running over someone’s mailbox.
The Republican, 61, was arrested Wednesday night after a couple told police she followed them home, parked her car on the lawn in front of their house and appeared drunk.
“I think the mayor is drunk and she just, she just literally… oh, she just ran over our mailbox,” the caller said during the 911 call, as reported by WBBH“She claims to the mayor… I don’t know who she is.”
Heitmann can then be heard in the background saying she is “Mayor Teresa Heitmann.”
Dashcam footage captured the interaction between Heitmann and the responding offers.
Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann has been arrested for drunk driving after allegedly running over someone’s mailbox
Dashcam footage captured the interaction between Heitmann and the responding offers
When one of the officers called her “mayor,” Heitmann responded, “No, don’t call me mayor. I’m Teresa Heitmann now, I’m not the mayor.”
Heitmann allegedly told officers that the couple had cut her off in traffic.
She also claimed that she had only consumed one glass of wine but failed the alcohol test, leading to her arrest.
The mayor then agreed to take a breath test at the Naples Jail Center.
Her breath test results were 0.155 and 0.169, which are above the legal limit in Florida of 0.08.
Heitmann was released Thursday on $500 bail.
She has not yet commented on her arrest.
Her breath test results were 0.155 and 0.169 — above the legal limit in Florida, which is 0.08
Heitmann was first elected in 2020 and re-elected as mayor in March of last year. She is pictured with her family
Naples City Manager Jay Boodheshwar said in a statement: “City staff were saddened to learn of the incident involving the mayor. We know this is a difficult time for Mayor Heitmann and we will give her the space she needs.
“The community of Naples can rest assured that our city team is dedicated and committed to serving our residents. I have 100% confidence that our city employees will not let this incident detract from the service we provide to our community.”
Heitmann was first elected in 2020 and was re-elected as mayor in March of last year.