Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a dramatic incident last night, 31-year-old Reggette Mikeya Bell was arrested on charges of driving under the influence. While being transported to jail, she allegedly threatened to place a “$100,000 bounty” on the arresting officer’s head if he didn’t take her home instead.
The incident unfolded around 10:30 p.m. on December 14, when a Gainesville Police Department officer noticed a gray SUV swerving dangerously. The vehicle veered into oncoming traffic, crossed into the bike lane, and eventually mounted the sidewalk along NE 8th Avenue near Main Street.
Upon seeing the SUV run off the road, the officer conducted a traffic stop and approached the vehicle. He observed that the driver was hurriedly rolling up all the windows. Additionally, the officer noted that the driver, later identified as Bell, was partially unclothed, with no clothing on her lower body and her dress pulled up to her waist.
The officer’s report indicates that Bell stumbled as she exited the SUV, reeking of alcohol. The air inside the vehicle was heavy with the odor of burnt marijuana. Alarmingly, Bell’s infant daughter was found securely fastened in a car seat in the back. Bell reportedly admitted to having consumed alcohol.
Though Bell initially refused field sobriety tests, she eventually consented to a breathalyzer test. The results were telling, with two samples registering at 0.235 g/210L and 0.247 g/210L, nearly triple the legal alcohol limit.
Post Miranda, Bell reportedly said she’d only had one shot of tequila but had not eaten at all that day. She said she was only driving because her passenger asked her to, and she said she was not drunk. She also reportedly said she had not been driving and refused to sign the DUI citation.
The officer transported Bell to an emergency room for medical clearance and then, on the way to the jail, Bell allegedly told the officer she had “100 thousand” on his head. She said her family had money and that she would “handle” the officer; she stated a second time that she would put $100k on the officer’s “head,” which he understood as a bounty on his life. Bell reportedly said she could make the bounty go away if the officer took her home instead of taking her to jail and said again that she and her family would “find” and “mess up” the officer.
Bell has been charged with driving under the influence and threatening a police officer in an effort to influence the performance of his official duties. She has no local criminal history, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $52,500.
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.
