Ft. McCoy woman arrested south of Hawthorne after allegedly driving drunk with a child in the car and kicking deputy

Staff report

HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Karlina Ana Maricic, 36, of Ft. McCoy, was arrested on April 6 after allegedly driving recklessly while intoxicated, with a 5-year-old child in the car; she also allegedly kicked a deputy twice while she was being medically cleared.

At about 5:17 p.m. on April 6, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of SE 166th Street and SE U.S. Hwy 301 after multiple callers reported that a gray Toyota Highlander with a child in the back seat was driving northbound on U.S. Hwy 301 at about 100 mph and was not maintaining its lane.

Deputies found the Highlander in the 10500 block of SE U.S. Hwy 301 and reported that Maricic was in the driver’s seat, with the engine running and a 5-year-old child in the back seat who was not properly restrained. The front and rear ends of the vehicle were reportedly damaged, with the front right fender completely missing.

A witness reportedly told a deputy that the car had no damage the previous day. Another witness said the Highlander had driven into some bushes in the Lochloosa area at a high rate of speed.

A deputy noted the strong smell of an alcoholic beverage from Maricic’s breath and reported that her speech was slurred.

A third witness, who was a former FHP Trooper, told deputies that when he found the Highlander stopped in the middle of a travel lane near SE 131st Lane, he took Maricic’s keys from her hand in an attempt to keep her from driving, but she was still able to drive away.

A fourth witness provided cell phone video that showed the Highlander swerving between lanes, and a fifth witness reported that the driver of the Highlander was operating her vehicle in a careless manner, swerving between lanes.

Maricic reportedly refused to perform field sobriety tests and refused to provide a breath test at the scene.

Maricic was transported to an emergency room for medical clearance, and when she realized she was going to jail, she allegedly began resisting deputies; she allegedly grabbed the cords from a nearby medical device and tried to strangle herself until deputies took the cords from her.

Maricic allegedly started kicking her legs and kicked a deputy in the thigh. After she was restrained, she allegedly kicked the deputy in the chin. At that point, deputies applied a rip hobble.

While at the hospital, Maricic reportedly said several times that she had not been drinking and driving, and she requested a lawyer multiple times.

At the jail, Maricic was offered the option of consenting to a urine test instead of a breath test, but she allegedly refused all tests.

Maricic has been charged with two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, child neglect without great bodily harm, driving under the influence, and DUI with refusal to submit to testing. She has no local criminal history; Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $145,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.