Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann court date rescheduled

Reporter: Camila Pereira
Published: Updated:

Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann was set to appear in court after pleading not guilty to her drunk driving charge.

Heitmann was expected to appear at the Collier County Courthouse at 9 a.m. on Wednesday as she faces charges related to an August arrest for driving under the influence, with a blood-alcohol content reportedly double the legal limit of 0.08.

Heitmann has pleaded not guilty but issued an apology following the arrest.

The case hinges on a legal technicality regarding whether she had actual physical control of the vehicle at the time of the arrest.

Dash camera footage from the Naples Police Department shows Heitmann outside her car.

Florida law requires actual physical control for a DUI arrest, but the arrest report does not confirm if she was in the driver’s seat or had the car keys.

Heitmann’s attorney, Derek Verderamo, highlighted conflicting officer testimonies about her location when police arrived.

“That’s what I need to flesh out, whether there’s a control in the motor vehicle, and there’s testimony conflicting whether my client was behind the wheel when the officer showed up with the keys, sitting in the driver’s seat, or she was standing outside the vehicle,” Verderamo said.

The video only captures moments after police arrived, leaving uncertainty about whether physical control was established.

The discrepancies in officer testimonies led to a request for a deposition, which has been canceled twice.

The court appearance determines whether Heitmann’s case proceeds or faces further delays.

Heitmann did not appear in court. The next court date is scheduled for 9 a.m. on March 5.

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