Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann is facing criminal charges after she was reported for tailgating a couple to their home and responding police allegedly found her under the influence with a blood alcohol level that was twice the legal limit.
Heitmann was taken into custody Wednesday around 10 p.m. after Naples police received a call from a residence in the 500 block of 16th Avenue. The caller told police that he and his wife were followed from the intersection of 12th Avenue South and 3rd Street South to their home by a woman in a silver Porsche.
According to the police report, the couple were nearly hit when the silver Porsche “almost ran a stop sign and had to slam on the brakes” and that the vehicle “followed them home, tailgating and flashing the lights.”
“Upon arriving at their residence, the unknown female stopped her vehicle on the grass in front of their home. After a brief verbal exchange with the unknown female parked in their front yard, the reporter contacted the Naples Police Department and advised dispatchers of the female’s actions and stated that she was claiming to be the mayor and appeared intoxicated,” a statement from Naples Police lieutenant Bryan McGinn said.
Officers at the scene reportedly found a woman “leaning on her vehicle and promptly identified the female as Teresa Heitmann, Mayor of the City of Naples,” McGinn said.
“Officers believed Mrs. Heitmann may have been intoxicated and observed her in physical control of her vehicle,” the statement said.
At the request of investigating officers, Heitmann agreed to complete field sobriety exercises and observing officers indicated in the report that she failed those tests. Heitmann was taken to the Naples Jail Center where police say she submitted to a breath test to determine her blood alcohol content.
“Mrs. Heitmann completed two breath samples which resulted in a blood alcohol content of 0.155 and 0.169. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08,” McGinn said.
Naples City Manager Jay Boodheshwar told Florida’s Voice that city employees were “saddened to learn about the incident.”
“We know this is a difficult time for Mayor Heitmann and will give her the space she needs. The Naples community should rest assured that 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,” Boodheshwar said in a statement.