CLERMONT, Fla. \u2013 Two Central Florida charter school principals are facing DUI charges after being arrested in separate incidents in Clermont just hours apart on the Fourth of July holiday, according to police.<\/p>\n
Police say Jennifer Jimenez and Christina Alcalde were arrested early July 5 following two traffic stops roughly two hours apart.<\/p>\n
According to the Clermont Police Department, officers first stopped a vehicle driven by Jimenez after observing it being driven erratically on Minneha Road. Body camera video released by police shows an officer asking Jimenez whether she had consumed alcohol.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I have,\u201d Jimenez responded.<\/p>\n
During the stop, the passenger, Alcalde, told officers they were both principals.<\/p>\n
Alcalde is listed as principal of Pinecrest Lakes Academy. On social media, Jimenez was announced as the new principal of Pinecrest Academy Tavares in April. Both schools operate under Pinecrest Academy Inc.<\/p>\n
Police said Jimenez told officers she was driving Alcalde home after the two spent the Fourth of July with their children.<\/p>\n
According to the arrest affidavit, officers observed signs of impairment, including delayed reactions, the odor of alcohol and poor driving behavior. Police said Jimenez declined to perform field sobriety exercises and refused a breath test before she was arrested on a DUI charge.<\/p>\n
More than two hours later, police stopped Alcalde after officers said she was driving at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and Hooks Street.<\/p>\n
According to an arrest affidavit, Alcalde had previously been determined to be too impaired to drive and had been placed into a rideshare vehicle following Jimenez\u2019s arrest. Police said she was later found driving the same vehicle involved in the earlier traffic stop and told officers she was trying to \u201cbail out\u201d her friend.<\/p>\n
Officers conducted field sobriety exercises before arresting Alcalde. Police said she also refused to submit to a breath test.<\/p>\n
Court records show both Jimenez and Alcalde have pleaded not guilty to the DUI charges.<\/p>\n
Pinecrest Academy Inc. sent News 6 the state it shared with families at the schools:<\/p>\n
Dear Pinecrest Academy Families,<\/p>\n
We understand that many members of our school community are aware of a situation involving school leadership and may have questions or concerns.<\/p>\n
Please know that the Governing Board is aware of the situation.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
We appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued trust in our school.<\/p>\n
Pinecrest Academy Inc.Breaking News Alerts<\/p>\n
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