Crime and Courts

‘She just drove over our mailbox': Bodycam, 911 calls show DUI arrest of Naples mayor

When the 911 callers asks the driver to identify herself, she allegedly replies: "Mayor Teresa Heitmann."

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Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann was arrested Wednesday for allegedly driving under the influence after a couple told police she'd followed them home and appeared intoxicated, according to NBC affiliate WBBH.

Naples police said it happened at 16th Avenue S and 3rd Street S at around 9:51 p.m.

A man called 911 to report that he and his wife were followed home by a woman behind the wheel of a silver vehicle. The caller said the woman stopped her car on the grass in front of his home.

"I think the mayor is drunk and she just, she just literally—oh, she just drove over our mailbox," the caller can be heard saying in the released 911 audio.

The dispatcher asks: "The mayor?"

"I don't know, she's claiming to be the mayor. I don't know who she is," he responds. Then, he ask her to identify herself.

"Mayor Teresa Heitmann," she replies.

Bodycam footage also shows the interaction she had with responding officers.

"Mrs. Mayor, will you come on over for me right here?" the officer says.

"No, don't call me mayor. I am Teresa Heitmann right now, I am not the mayor," she says.

Heitmann allegedly told police that the couple cut her off in traffic. She reportedly performed a field sobriety test after telling them she had only one glass of wine.

Police said they found probable cause to arrest her for DUI.

Heitmann was taken to the Naples Jail Center and agreed to do a breath test to determine her blood alcohol content, WBBH reported. Her results came back at 0.155 and 0.169. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.

Heitmann left jail Thursday morning on a $500 bond. Her attorney offered no comment.

"City employees were saddened to learn about the incident involving the Mayor. We know this is a difficult time for Mayor Heitmann and will give her the space she needs," Naples City Manager Jay Boodheshwar said in part. "The Naples community should rest assured our City team is committed and dedicated to serving our residents. I have 100% confidence that our City employees will not let this incident affect service delivery to our community."

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