MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A Miami Gardens woman is facing three felony child neglect charges after Miami-Dade deputies said she was driving drunk with three children in her car on the Palmetto Expressway over the weekend.
Alexandra Alcala, 38, is also facing a misdemeanor resisting arrest charge and a citation for driving under the influence.
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According to an arrest report, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Deputy Felicia Kinsey-Smith was driving west on the highway near Northwest 12th Avenue at around 11:40 p.m. Saturday and noticed Alcala quickly changing lanes and accelerating around traffic.
Kinsey-Smith wrote that she paced Alcala going 85 mph in a 55 mph zone and pulled her over near Northwest 37th Avenue.
The deputy wrote that she could smell alcohol coming from the vehicle. The report states that a man, who also smelled of alcohol, was in the vehicle’s passenger’s seat and three children were in the back: Their two daughters and their friend.
Kinsey-Smith wrote that Alcala, who said she was coming from Wynwood, showed signs of impairment, including bloodshot and watery eyes and “slurred speech.”
The report states that Kinsey-Smith had Alcala get out of the car and asked her to perform field sobriety exercises.
It states that Alcala responded, “No, not even a flamingo could pass them.”
Nevertheless, Kinsey-Smith wrote that Alcala — who asked if her daughter could drive instead — appeared too drunk to drive and tried taking her into custody.
Deputies said that set off a commotion involving Alcala “screaming and yelling,” resisting arrest and dropping to the ground while the man and one of the girls got out of the car and joined Alcala in “screaming and yelling.”
Kinsey-Smith wrote that one of the girls “ran up to (her) with her cellphone recording the entire encounter.”
The deputy wrote that she was able to get Alcala secured in her cruiser. State troopers and Miami Gardens police officers then arrived as backup.
“As not to traumatize the children” more than they already were by having both parents arrested, Kinsey-Smith wrote that she “chose not to arrest (the man) for obstruction.”
Authorities said Alcala was taken to MDSO’s Midwest District station, where she failed a blood alcohol test with readings of .14% and .15%, nearly twice the legal limit.
Deputies said they contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families’ child abuse hotline to file a report.
As of Monday, Alcala was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $3,500 bond.