DAVENPORT, Fla. – A Polk County elementary school guidance counselor was arrested Wednesday night on DUI charges, sheriff’s officials said.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Rachael Tederous, a 45-year-old employee at Loughman Oaks Elementary School near Davenport, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge around 8:30 p.m. near U.S. Highway 27 and Legacy Park Boulevard.
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Sheriff’s officials said a deputy responded to a call about a reckless driver in a black Dodge pickup truck and saw the pickup nearly hit a minivan.
The deputy said Tederous’ speech was slurred and her breath had the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Tederous, the only occupant in the pickup, told the deputy that she was having problems with her blood sugar, officials said.
A medic from Polk County Fire Rescue checked Tederous and determined that her blood sugar was OK, officials said. While she was being checked, the deputy noticed a mostly empty bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila in the door, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff’s officials said Tederous informed the deputy that she was on the way to pick up two children from a nearby park, so a deputy coordinated to have someone else retrieve them.
Tederous had difficulty performing maintaining her balance during a field sobriety test and yelled at the deputy, “This is bull**** and you’re bull****,” then refused to continue, officials said.
Tederous was arrested and taken to the Polk County Jail, where she either refused or was unable to exhale the necessary amount of air for a breath alcohol test, officials said.
“Her decision to drive under the influence could have easily injured or killed someone. A person who works as a guidance counselor at a school, whose job is to help young children, should set a better example,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.