Two Central Florida school principals were arrested on DUI charges just hours apart following separate traffic stops involving the same vehicle, according to police reports and newly released body-camera footage.
Jennifer Jimenez, 41, was driving a white Jeep with Christina Alcalde, 45, in the passenger seat when Clermont police pulled the vehicle over at approximately 2 a.m. on July 5 in Lake County. Authorities said the Jeep had drifted in and out of its lane, crossed into oncoming traffic several times and driven over a curb.
According to a probable-cause affidavit, the officer reported smelling alcohol and said Jimenez appeared to have slow reactions and was blinking unusually slowly. Jimenez reportedly told officers she had consumed alcohol earlier in the day but declined to perform field sobriety exercises.
Jimenez was arrested and taken to the Lake County Jail. Officers also determined that Alcalde was not fit to drive and arranged for a rideshare to take her home. The Jeep, which belonged to Alcalde, was parked near the location of the traffic stop.
Approximately two and a half hours later, officers stopped the same Jeep again and found Alcalde behind the wheel. She reportedly told police that she was attempting to go to the jail to bail Jimenez out.
“I’m not meaning to do anything wrong. I’m way better,” Alcalde told officers, according to WESH 2.
Alcalde performed field sobriety exercises before she was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Jimenez serves as principal of Pinecrest Academy Tavares, while Alcalde is the principal of Pinecrest Lakes Academy. Both schools are charter schools in Lake County.
Both women have pleaded not guilty to DUI charges and charges related to refusing DUI testing.
