On October 27, the Miami Herald reported that the principal at Wesley Matthews Elementary in Miami was reassigned on by Miami-Dade County Public Schools after she was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) on July 21. The 46-year-old woman who has been with the school system for 23 years will work at a district administrative office, a non-school site, Miami-Dade schools spokeswoman Daisy Gonzalez-Diego told the Herald.
The Herald reported that a breath test administered following the alleged offender’s arrest showed blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.140 and 0.142—both over Florida’s legal limit of 0.08. The woman reported the misdemeanor to school officials and remained in her role as principal until the reassignment, according to the Herald.
“We don’t usually reassign in cases such as these, but the district can and will take action if a case has the potential to cause a disruption to the learning environment we work so hard to maintain,” Gonzalez-Diego said in an email to the Herald. “Our goal is to maintain continuity of education with minimal disruptions.”
“Although this is a non-school related incident, the District still holds all employees to a high standard of professionalism,” Miami-Dade County Public Schools said in a statement released on October 27. “While we await the court’s disposition, the employee has been removed from the regular school setting and administratively reassigned. If the courts conclude that the employee has violated any law, we will take all appropriate disciplinary action.”
Miami-Dade County DUI Defense Lawyer
While possible jail time, fines, and driver’s license suspensions are often the foremost concerns of most people recently arrested for drunk driving, the above case demonstrates that even being charged with DUI can have profound implications on many other aspects of the lives of alleged offenders. Depending on a person’s given field, DUI arrests may lead to a wide variety of professional consequences.
For this reason, it is extremely critical to seek legal representation as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance of obtaining the most favorable possible resolution to your case. Convictions not only include several punishments being imposed by the courts but several other collateral consequences.
Younger alleged offenders may lose college scholarships or even be suspended or expelled from institutions of higher learning. DUI convictions can make it difficult to travel internationally. People convicted of drunk driving may have to pay higher automobile insurance rates—and some may be required to obtain “FR-44 insurance” (FR stands for financial responsibility), policies which satisfy predetermined bodily injury liability and property damage liability limits.
If you were arrested for DUI anywhere in the greater Miami-Dade County area, you will want to immediately retain legal counsel. Contact Miami criminal defense attorney Evan Hoffman today to receive a complete evaluation of your case.