An 18-year-old Leesburg woman admitted she had just smoked marijuana before nearly swerving into a police patrol car in Eustis on Saturday night.
Savanna Lee Harbaugh, of 37421 Leontine Williams Road, was charged with driving under the influence after the traffic stop, which took place around 10:30 p.m. near the intersection of South Bay Street and Old Mount Dora Road.
A Eustis police officer observed Harbaugh’s 2007 grey Hyundai sway within its lane several times while traveling north on Bay Street. The vehicle then turned into the officer’s lane, almost hitting the patrol vehicle. The officer slammed on the brakes and initiated the traffic stop, according to the police report.
Asked if she was OK, Harbaugh apologized and said she didn’t see the officer’s vehicle. She said she just did this just the other day to a Florida state trooper. While speaking with Harbaugh, the officer noticed the strong odor of a perfume as if it was just sprayed. The officer also smelled the strong, distinct odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, the report said.
The officer noticed Harbaugh’s blue eyes were bloodshot red and watery. She was visibly shaking. Asked about the smell of marijuana, Harbaugh said it was deodorant spray, which she sprayed again to demonstrate, according to the report.
The officer asked Harbaugh if she had a valid medical marijuana card or smoked hemp and she said no. Asked if she had anything to drink or possibly taken narcotics, Harbaugh said she had just smoked marijuana at a friend’s house prior to driving. Harbaugh agreed to take a field sobriety test and failed, so she was placed under arrest, the report said.
A search of Harbaugh’s car turned up a glass tray on the front passenger floorboard with a green leafy residue on it, along with an orange vape pen on the driver’s seat that contained 5 percent nicotine. In the back seat was an empty grape flavored natural leaf cigarillos package. In the trunk was a bag that contained several empty and full Twisted Tea cans that were warm to the touch, according to the report.
Harbaugh’s 15-year-old passenger told the officer that she and Harbaugh had smoked a bowl of marijuana at her home just prior to driving. She said she took one hit and Harbaugh smoked the rest, the report said.
Harbaugh was taken to the Eustis Police Department, where she again admitted to smoking marijuana. She said she smoked it at around 5 p.m. and only had 0.2 grams. Harbaugh said she takes medication for depression but had not taken it that day. A drug recognition expert from the Groveland Police Department met the officer and Harbaugh at the Lake County Jail, and he confirmed she was under the influence, according to the report.
Harbaugh was released Sunday morning on $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Lake County Court on July 5.
