Sheriff's Finance Director Pleads To DUI

The sheriff's finance director pleaded no contest Thursday to a charge of DUI causing property damage.

Emily Vernon, 40, was adjudicated guilty and received the standard DUI sanctions, including a year's probation, a six-month license suspension and 50 hours of community service.

She was not in court on Thursday and made the plea "in absentia."

Sgt. Donna Black, spokeswoman, said an internal affairs investigation will now begin at the sheriff's office to determine if Vernon violated department policy. The results of that investigation will determine whether Vernon will keep her job at the sheriff's office.

"Her status is the same as it was prior to her pleading today," Black said.

She said Sheriff Richard Nugent would not be commenting on the situation.

Vernon was arrested July 21, 10 days after she crashed her pickup truck into a road sign on Lake Lindsey Road. Minutes before the collision, she was weaving across the road, forcing several drivers to take evasive action.

Vernon crashed into a road sign shortly after, but the witnesses who dialed 911 didn't actually see her behind the wheel. Instead they saw her walking around the crash site, staggering and acting drunk. The deputies who went to investigate the crash reported that Vernon had trouble pronouncing her name and was dancing in the middle of the road.

But without a "wheel witness," there was no proof that Vernon was the actual driver. That's why it was only documented as a traffic crash and no sobriety tests were administered.

Days later, media coverage of the episode prompted four witnesses to come forward and identify Vernon as the driver. That was evidence enough for the state attorney's office to charge Vernon with DUI.

In December, Vernon's attorney challenged the strength of the case and filed a motion asking the state to prove it had evidence Vernon was driving under the influence.

On Thursday, Assistant State Attorney Matthew Pila said the case had its strengths and weaknesses, but he was confident in the testimony of the witnesses.

This plea allowed Vernon to avoid a potential six months in jail, Pila added.

In addition to the probation, Vernon also has to pay $971 in court costs and her vehicle is impounded for 10 days.