Staff report
ALACHUA, Fla. – Isabel Itallia Maestri, a 26-year-old resident of Alachua, was arrested the previous day. She faces charges of driving under the influence and resisting an officer with violence after allegedly slamming a car door on a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper’s hand.
On the evening of September 21, at approximately 6:19 p.m., a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper stopped a red Nissan Rogue that was speeding at 82 mph in a 60 mph zone and had a window tint violation. The vehicle stopped at the Fast Track station, located near the entrance to Turkey Creek (11921 NW U.S. Hwy 441).
The trooper stated that Maestri handed over her driver’s license but couldn’t supply proof of her vehicle’s registration, instead giving him a bill of sale. Upon investigation, it was found that the vehicle was unregistered and bore a license plate not assigned to it.
When the trooper asked Maestri to exit her vehicle, she reportedly moved slowly and took her time approaching his patrol car. She grabbed her citation aggressively from his hand, and he informed her that her car would be towed as it was not registered for the road.
Maestri was instructed to retrieve her personal items from the car, but she kicked the door shut and approached the trooper with aggression, using offensive language. He asked her to step back, but she immediately advanced towards him again in a hostile manner. The trooper noted a strong scent of alcohol on her breath.
As the trooper attempted to retrieve the keys by opening the car door, Maestri allegedly closed the door on his hand, prompting him to handcuff her. She resisted the arrest by kicking and struggling, leading another trooper to assist in placing her in the patrol vehicle. During transit to jail, Maestri reportedly made derogatory remarks and continually spat on the divider separating the front and back seats.
The trooper reported that he was unable to conduct field sobriety exercises or administer a breath test because of her “aggressive physical and verbal uncooperative demeanor.”
An inventory of Maestri’s vehicle before it was towed reportedly produced an open 19.2-oz. container of alcohol that was about half-empty.
Maestri has been charged with DUI and resisting an officer with violence, and she was cited for a window tint violation. She has a juvenile conviction from 2016 but no adult criminal history. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered her released on her own recognizance after being fitted for a trans-dermal alcohol monitor.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
