On a busy stretch of State Road 414 in Apopka, police say a 6-year-old girl wound up doing what the adults could not: flagging down help after her mother allegedly passed out behind the wheel of an SUV.
Officers arrested 33-year-old Joelle Ruthanne Service of Sorrento on Tuesday evening. She faces charges that include DUI with a child in the vehicle and child neglect without great bodily harm.
Scene on SR-414
According to an arrest affidavit reported by ClickOrlando, a passerby spotted the girl waving for help beside an SUV stopped on the shoulder and told dispatch that the woman inside appeared unconscious and had vomit on her.
When Apopka police arrived, they found Service in the driver’s seat, confused and disoriented, with glassy, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, the affidavit states. Officers took her into custody at the scene.
What the child told rescuers
The affidavit says the 6-year-old told the passerby she and Service had been to Wolf Branch Brewing in Mount Dora earlier in the day and that Service had been “driving badly” and had hit several objects on the roadway.
Officers later noted damage to both the front and rear passenger-side doors of the SUV. Firefighters on scene told police that Service admitted she had been drinking alcohol throughout the day and believed she was “good to drive home,” according to ClickOrlando.
Charges and legal implications
Service faces charges of DUI with a child in the vehicle and child neglect, according to the arrest affidavit. Under Florida law, a DUI with a minor in the car can bring enhanced penalties, including steeper fines, longer potential jail time, and ignition-interlock requirements; see Florida Statute 6.193.
Neglect of a child without great bodily harm is a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 27.03, which can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison.
Where police say they had been
The girl told officers they had spent time earlier at Wolf Branch Brewing in Mount Dora. The brewery operates a taproom in downtown Mount Dora and lists its locations and menus on its website, Wolf Branch Brewing.
Next steps
Service was taken into custody, and her case is expected to proceed through Orange County’s booking and court system. Police say the investigation remains active. There was no immediate public information on arraignment or bond at the time the initial report was published.
