2 Florida school leaders arrested for DUI within hours of each other

CLERMONT, Fla. - Two Florida school leaders were recently arrested on suspicion of DUI within hours of each hour, prompting questions and concerns from their communities.

What we know:

According to the arrest reports, the women – later identified as Jennifer Jimenez and Christina Alcalde – were driving back from a party on July 5, when a Clermont Police officer pulled them over around 2 a.m. after observing their vehicle driving in and out of its lane.

Jennifer Jimenez was behind the wheel and Christina Alcalde was in the passenger seat, the report said. Christina owned the vehicle that Jimenez was driving.

The deputy noted that the vehicle smelled like alcohol and that Jimenez "would blink really slow and had very slow and delayed reactions."

The deputy asked Jimenez for her driver's license, which Jimenez and Alcalde then struggled to find in one of their purses, then attempted to find a digital copy on a cell phone, the report said.

The deputy then asked Jimenez to get out of the vehicle.

Jimenez declined to perform any field sobriety and was arrested under suspicion of DUI, and for refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test. She has since bonded out of jail.

During the interaction, Alcalde reportedly told the deputy that both she and Jimenez were principals in the area.

Friend sent home via ride-share, arrested hours later

The deputy moved Christina Alcalde's vehicle to a nearby parking lot instead of having it towed, the report said. She then ordered a ride home via a ride-share app, the report said.

Around 5 a.m., less than three hours later, the Lake County Sheriff's Office was notified that Alcalde may have been behind the wheel again. The deputy went to the parking lot where the vehicle was initially parked and found it to be missing.

The deputy spotted Alcalde on SR 50 and in the white Jeep. The arrest report said Alcalde's vehicle drifted into another lane and that she pressed the brake several times well before approaching an intersection.

"I observed her facing forward, appeared to be staring blankly, and watched her rub her face and eyes as thought she was tired. Based on my previous interaction with her, less than three hours prior, and her level of intoxication at that time, I believed she was likely operating the motor vehicle while under the influence…to the extent, her normal faculties were impaired," the report said.

Officials released body camera from the interaction:

• Alcalde: "I’m not meaning to do anything wrong. I'm way better"
• Deputy: "Well look. I just talked to you. You were really drunk when I talked to you"
• Alcalde: "I know. I know. But I’m not now.
• Deputy: "It’s a couple hours later."
• Alcalde: "I understand. I’m really not. I promise you I’m not."

Alcalde: Worried about her friend and wanted to bail her out of jail

The deputy approached the vehicle and said Alcalde was already searching through her wallet to find her driver's license. When the deputy asked why she was driving, she allegedly told him that she was worried about her friend who had been arrested earlier, the report said.

The deputy told her that she should not be driving. She replied: "I understand," the report said.

She agreed to a field sobriety test, but as soon as she got out of the vehicle, she began to "sway slightly." She was brought to the side of the road and arrested.

At the jail, she refused to take a breath test, the report said.

She was arrested and booked into jail on charges of DUI and refused to submit to DUI testing. She has since bonded out of jail.

What they're saying:

A spokesperson for Lake County Public Schools told FOX 35 in a statement that neither Jimenez or Alcalde were employed by the district. Instead, the spokesperson said they worked for a charter school system.

FOX 35 reached out to Pinecrest Academy Inc., which operates several schools in Central and South Florida, for a statement regarding the arrest of the two women.

"We understand that many members of our school community are aware of a situation involving school leadership and may have questions or concerns. Please know that the Governing Board is aware of the situation," the Academy said in a letter sent home to parents:

Here is the full letter

Dear Pinecrest Academy Families,

We understand that many members of our school community are aware of a situation involving school leadership and may have questions or concerns.
Please know that the Governing Board is aware of the situation.

While personnel matters are confidential and we cannot share specific details, we want to assure you that we take these situations seriously and are committed to acting in the best interest of our students, staff, and school community. The Governing Board consulted with its national co-employer throughout this process and, based on that guidance, has taken the appropriate administrative actions to address this matter.

Most importantly, our students remain safe, supported, and in the care of a dedicated team of educators and staff who are focused on providing an outstanding learning environment each day.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued trust in our school.

Sincerely,
Governing Board
Pinecrest Academy, Inc.

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