Woman Sentenced For 8.5 Mile Wrong Way Drunken Police Chase

November 30, 2011

A 61-year Cantonment woman has been convicted on charges that she  led deputies on a drunken chase through North Escambia with a breath alcohol level two and a half times the legal limit.

Elizabeth Ann Dawson of Lakeview Avenue was convicted of driving under the influence and felony fleeing and eluding police. She was sentenced to a total of 30 days in jail and 24 months probation for the July incident. She was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and attend substance abuse counseling. Her driver’s license was revoked for 12 months, and ignition interlock was ordered for her car, and she was ordered to pay a $3,079 fine and $1,500 in court costs.

The Escambia County  Sheriff’s Office first received emergency calls about Dawson headed north in the southbound lane of Highway 29 near Quintette Road about 11 p.m. on July 15. Multiple calls were received as she continued north through Molino.

An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office sergeant gave chase as he observed Dawson continuing to drive in the wrong lane near Highway 29 and Highway 97. The deputy drove parallel to Dawson in the northbound lane as additional deputies caught up to the pursuit. Deputies from the Century area responded south on Highway 29 during the chase, attempting to stop southbound traffic to avoid a collision.

Dawson continued northbound in the southbound lane until the eight mile pursuit ended when she stopped just south of Bogia Road — over 13 miles away from Quintette Road where 911 callers first reported her in the wrong lane.

Once stopped and out of her vehicle, Dawson was unable to stand without bracing herself, and keep telling deputies with slurred speech that she was sorry, according to the arrest report.

Dawson failed a field sobriety test and had a breath alcohol level of .199 and .192, the report states. The legal limit in Florida is .08.

Dawson was also ticketed for driving on the wrong side of the road.

Comments

13 Responses to “Woman Sentenced For 8.5 Mile Wrong Way Drunken Police Chase”

  1. David Huie Green on December 3rd, 2011 1:15 pm

    REGARDING:
    “This woman should have been put in jail for atleast 90 days! ”

    Do you really want to waste time and money keeping her in jail or do you just want her to not do it again? I’d be satisfied with the knowledge she wouldn’t do it again. I don’t currently have that knowledge, but it would satisfy me.

    In fact as with most crimes, if there were a way to assure us the criminal would never commit a crime against his fellow man in the future, I’d be satisfied. I have in mind something like a GPS monitoring device on the wrist which includes a microphone and camera and random monitoring along the way. Jail them if they ever try to disable the device or commit another crime, otherwise just keep them under 24 hour observation, privacy be but a memory. Their friends and associates would also be under observation when around them so they might have fewer friends and assoicates, but that’s their problem which they brought on.

    David for good results

  2. Angi B. on December 2nd, 2011 5:55 am

    This is just a slap on the wrist, WOW! I can’t believe such a light sentence!!!

  3. JIM W on December 1st, 2011 6:12 pm

    Here is the difference in the right to drive and the privilege to drive. In other country’s it is not a right and you are done if caught driving under the influnce just one time. Just saying people do not realize the freedom we have as American’s. Yet some abuse that freedom all the time.

  4. laura on December 1st, 2011 6:54 am

    What if she would have killed someone? This woman should have been put in jail for atleast 90 days! Next time she is going to end up killing someone! I just moved back to molino from jay…. so I read this site to stay up to date with what’s going on… I drive 29 in the area that she was all the time just like everyone else… I thank God I wasn’t on the road when she was!

  5. gambello on November 30th, 2011 7:45 pm

    Talk about a slap on the wrist. Wanna bet the next time we see this woman in the news, it’s going to be for killing someone while driving drunk? And when it happens, remember the judge who gave her such a light sentence.

  6. David Huie Green on November 30th, 2011 4:49 pm

    REGARDING:
    ” If you drive to the interlock place to have it installed without a valid license, they will call the cops on the spot and get you busted for driving with suspended license.”

    So you’re saying somebody WITH a valid drivers license couldn’t go and get it put on her car ahead of time?

    AND:
    “The interlock is all about money. ”

    Driving under the influence down the road endangering the lives of small children and our loved ones SHOULD be expensive.

    David for a price too high

  7. Ken on November 30th, 2011 2:01 pm

    Regarding: “I guess they expect her to drive with a suspended license by putting the interlock on the ignition”.

    The interlock is all about money. She will have to pay to have it put on, pay a monthly maintenance fee to have it monitored, and pay to have it removed.

    Also, she will have to have a valid drivers license to have it installed, which means she has to complete all of the other license requirements FIRST. If you drive to the interlock place to have it installed without a valid license, they will call the cops on the spot and get you busted for driving with suspended license.

  8. David Huie Green on November 30th, 2011 9:59 am

    REGARDING:
    “I guess they expect her to drive with a suspended license by putting the interlock on the ignition.”

    The arrest records are full of people driving despite having suspended licenses.

    Also, anybody ever notice how many of these court required fines and penalties are never paid? I guess the govenment doesn’t need the money because they don’t seem interested in getting what is due.

    David for safe streets

  9. Char on November 30th, 2011 8:03 am

    30 days in jail, but look at all the other things.

    That is a rather large fine, her license is revoked, 24 months probation,
    Community Service, a lock on her car, AND Counseling. This woman
    will be busy doing all that and looking for someone to drive her to all
    of the things she has to do to satisfy the Court.

    I think it is fair, if in fact the counseling works and she stops drinking
    and driving. If she is ever caught again, then put her away and keep her, but
    right now I think clean her up, make her pay and then give her another chance.

    Let’s also hope she is carefully watched by her probation officer;
    her friends, relatives and neighbors. Obviously this woman needs a lot
    of help so she doesn’t end up killing someone and/or herself. This
    woman probably has grand children who love and need her, so lets
    hope we have done enough and she can become a good role model.
    Better late than NEVER.

    Thanks Judge…..I feel everyone who breaks the law should pay in
    fines every single penny that was involved in the pursuit or damage
    that they caused. Why should anyone else have to pay for their actions?

    Wake up and smell the coffee mam and go a different path for
    yourself, everyone who loves you, and the rest of us.

    Good luck….

  10. uh?? on November 30th, 2011 8:03 am

    Thankfully her carelessness didnt end nobody injured or dead..

  11. safebear on November 30th, 2011 7:31 am

    I guess they expect her to drive with a suspended license by putting the interlock on the ignition.

    Thankfully no one was killed.

  12. Jane on November 30th, 2011 6:34 am

    Again, drinking and driving don’t mix! Thank you for getting her off the road before someone was hurt or killed!

  13. Terry on November 30th, 2011 5:36 am

    ONLY 30 days?!?!?! WOW!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News