A Clermont nursing student was arrested Tuesday night after police say she crashed into another vehicle while driving under the influence with her 6-year-old daughter along for the ride. The collision happened around 9:40 p.m. at the intersection of Citrus Tower Boulevard and State Road 50. No one was seriously hurt, and officers later booked the driver on a DUI charge at the Lake County Jail.
Crash And Officer Observations
According to Leesburg-News.com, officers say the driver, identified in the arrest report as 42‑year‑old Kayla Lynn Oelhoffen of Clermont, rear‑ended a black 2017 Ford F‑250 that was stopped at a red light after she ran a light just south of the intersection. The report notes she had drooping eyelids, bloodshot and glassy eyes, and slow, slurred speech. She allegedly seemed dazed and largely unconcerned when told her front fender was hanging off. The officer had Oelhoffen step out for field sobriety exercises and described her as unsteady throughout the investigation.
What Florida Law Says
Florida law sets a legal limit of 0.08 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath and allows tougher penalties when a driver has a minor in the vehicle or a very high blood-alcohol level. Under Florida Statutes 9316.193, a conviction with a passenger under 18 or with a breath level of 0.15 or higher carries increased fines, longer potential jail terms, and mandatory ignition-interlock requirements. Those enhancements mean a first-offense DUI in those circumstances can bring steeper penalties than a routine first DUI.
Evidence, Booking And Custody Of The Child
Leesburg-News.com reports that officers smelled alcohol in the patrol vehicle as they escorted Oelhoffen and that an inventory of her truck turned up an open bottle of vodka. Breath samples taken at the station measured 0.214 g/210L and 0.206 g/210L, according to the arrest report. Oelhoffen's mother took custody of the 6-year-old girl while Oelhoffen was booked at the Lake County Jail. She was later released after posting a $1,000 bond.
Child Welfare And Next Steps
According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the state's abuse hotline accepts reports around the clock, and law enforcement will refer cases when a child's safety may be at risk. Prosecutors review arrest packets and decide whether to file formal charges. If they do, the case would move through the Lake County court system. Any conviction tied to a minor in the vehicle or to very high breath levels would trigger the statutory enhancements spelled out in the DUI law.
Where It Goes From Here
The arrest report is the primary public record of the incident, and court files will show whether prosecutors choose to pursue formal charges. Any charging documents or scheduled court dates will appear in Lake County's public dockets as the case moves forward.
