Woman accused of driving drunk, spitting at a deputy

SPRING HILL Deputies say an intoxicated woman polished off her night of drinking by driving through a bar parking lot at high speed before attempting to spit on a deputy.

Paula Sarkowski, 30, of Spring Hill, is charged with driving while intoxicated, violation of a driver’s license restriction and assaulting a law enforcement officer, according to a Hernando County Sheriff’s Office report.

A Bar Envy employee called law enforcement claiming Sarkowski was driving recklessly through the parking lot at a high rate of speed. Moments before she got into her vehicle, she was in the bar stumbling and falling down, the report shows.

When a deputy arrived, he ordered her to park the vehicle and she nearly collided with his patrol car.

Deputies noted that Sarkowski smelled of alcohol and had two cans of beer in her vehicle with straws hanging out of them, according to the report. Sarkowski also has a restricted license that prohibits her from driving except for business purposes.

After Sarkowski failed various field sobriety tests, she was taken to Hernando County jail. On the way there, she became irate and began cussing at deputies.

While at the jail, she also attempted to spit on a female deputy. She was then strapped down and a “spit hood” was placed over her head.

Sarkowski’s bond was then set at $1,500, or $500 for each of the three counts.