VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County deputies arrested an Edgewater mother on a DUI charge outside a school after witnesses saw her driving dangerously, nearly hitting a child who was walking to school.
The Department of Children and Families said it has an open and active investigation into the mother, Alethea Dehart, 39, and said investigators are "very concerned" and called what happened "disturbing."
Dressed as she was, deputies arrested her. Dehart left jail Tuesday night barefoot and wearing a blue Superman robe.
Deputies arrested the mother for driving under the influence as she drove a child to Edgewater Public School. Witnesses said they saw her "slowing down and speeding up she left the road, and crossed two lanes, cutting off multiple cars," the deputy's report states. Then she "crossed over into oncoming traffic and up onto the sidewalk, nearly striking a child."
At the school, as the child got out of her car, witnesses said the vehicle lurched forward, almost hitting the child.
Deputies then saw damage on Dehart's car. She told them several stories and finally said she hit her boyfriend's car in her own driveway.
Dehart failed a field sobriety test and said she has taken amitriptyline for migraines three times a day for three months.
Dehart was also charged with child neglect, but no children were injured during the incident.
DCF is now investigating if there's a pattern and said the child is in the care of family friends.