[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 03/03/20]
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CLERMONT, Florida — A Clermont woman whose breathalyzer tests registered at more than four times the legal limit is also facing three counts of child abuse after she was pulled over with three children in her SUV.
Around 7:10 p.m. Monday, Clermont Police responded to the area of Bloxam Avenue and State Road 50 in search of a reported reckless driver. The complainant told police he saw a blue Chevy Trailblazer driving recklessly in the area of East Avenue and State Road 50 and it was now in a shopping center near Bloxam Avenue and State Road 50.
After making contact with the complainant, an officer saw the SUV leave a McDonald’s, stop suddenly for no reason, and almost roll into another vehicle at a traffic light, according to an arrest affidavit. The officer got behind the SUV, noticed a taillight was out and attempted to pull the SUV over.
The SUV continued at a pace of 15 to 20 miles per hour, but did not stop; the officer activated sirens and the SUV still did not stop until it came to an unoccupied apartment complex at 1700 Hooks Street, according to the affidavit.
The officer approached the SUV and Amanda Louis Ennis, 33, was actively eating a burger in a McDonald’s wrapper, the officer notes in the affidavit. The officer told Ennis she was stopped due to her inoperable taillight and her erratic driving. She was asked why she failed to stop for the officer right away, and she said she did not notice the officer’s lights until “five minutes” ago, the affidavit states. Three children were in the SUV with Ennis and their names and ages are redacted in the arrest affidavit. Eniss’ speech was slurred and the officer requested she complete field sobriety exercises. Ennis was reluctant and told the officer she had a stress fracture in her right foot and was being treated with pain medication.
During the field sobriety exercises, she refused to complete some of them, and allegedly stumbled and nearly fell during another. She was taken into custody and taken to Clermont Police Department where she gave officers two breath samples. One sample measured at .355 and the second measured at .351 — both samples were more than four times Florida’s legal limit. According to the probable cause affidavit, Eniss told the officer she had not been drinking and she believes she has a medical condition that causes her speech to be slurred and her breath to smell like alcohol. She told police she was going to the doctor “tomorrow” to get answers.
Ennis was charged with DUI and three counts of child abuse. She is being held in the Lake County Jail on $7,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
