Deputies say a Marion County woman was arrested Tuesday morning after allegedly driving under the influence while dropping off a child at an Ocala elementary school.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 8:10 a.m. March 3 to Shady Hill Elementary School, located at 5959 S. Magnolia Ave., after a report of a possible impaired driver in the school’s drop-off area.
School Resource Deputy R. Mims told responding deputies she witnessed a white Hyundai Elantra enter the school’s drive-through area traveling the wrong direction. The driver, later identified as Lauren Ariel Korfhage, exited the vehicle along with her daughter.
Mims told deputies she observed Korfhage stagger while walking into the school’s front office. After briefly losing sight of her, the deputy said Korfhage exited the office appearing confused about where her vehicle was parked and began walking toward the wrong parking lot.
According to the report, the deputy made contact with Korfhage as she attempted to return to the vehicle and leave. The deputy reported that Korfhage was slurring her words and requested a patrol deputy to respond.
When deputies arrived, they observed the vehicle parked facing the opposite direction of the painted traffic arrows in the drop-off lane. Korfhage reportedly told deputies she had driven to the school to drop off her daughter.
Deputies conducted a series of field sobriety exercises. During the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, deputies reported observing indicators of impairment including lack of smooth pursuit and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation.
During the walk-and-turn exercise, deputies reported Korfhage failed to keep her heel and toe together on several steps, stepped off the line, swayed, and walked 16 steps instead of the instructed nine on the return portion of the test. Deputies also reported she did not count her steps out loud.
During the one-leg stand exercise, deputies reported she swayed, used her arms for balance, and put her foot down during the test. Korfhage reportedly told deputies she had a soft tissue injury and back spasms that could affect her balance.
Deputies also conducted a finger-to-nose exercise, during which they reported observing additional signs of impairment.
Korfhage was placed under arrest for driving under the influence.
During an inventory search of the vehicle, deputies reported finding a prescription bottle containing alprazolam inside Korfhage’s purse. The medication was prescribed to her.
According to the affidavit, Korfhage told deputies she had taken one Xanax and an antidepressant, Wellbutrin, earlier that morning but denied drinking alcohol.
At the Marion County Jail, Korfhage consented to a breath test, which showed a blood alcohol content of 0.00.
Two certified Drug Recognition Experts later conducted a drug influence evaluation and concluded Korfhage was impaired by a drug and unable to operate a vehicle safely, according to the report.
Korfhage was charged with driving under the influence with a person under 18 in the vehicle, a misdemeanor offense. Bond was set at $1,000.
