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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Gino Spocchia

Woman Irish dances when doing sobriety test in Florida DUI stop

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office

A Florida woman who complained that police were speaking to her like her “ballet coach” during a failed sobriety test has been seen in new police footage breaking into dance.

Amy Harrington, 38, who was arrested by Pinellas County Sheriffs Deputies in April on suspicion of a DUI (driving under the influence), was asked to do a “walk and turn” exercise.

According to an affidavit seen by local news outlets last week, Ms Harrington had bumped into a vehicle on Gulf Boulevard and 140th Avenue North in Madeira Beach and was subsequently stopped by police.

Body camera video obtained by Fox13 showed her struggling to walk straight while under the watch of a Pinellas County deputy, who asked Ms Harrington if she understood the instructions.

The woman could be heard saying “yes” but added that the instructions were “ridiculous”, reports said. Ms Harrington then began Irish dancing before transitioning into a ballet-style routine.

When the sheriff’s deputy again asked her to walk along a straight line, Ms Harrington complained and said: “Oh my God! You sound like my f***** ballet coach,” before breaking into yet another dance.

“That wasn’t the exercise, alright?”, the same deputy could be heard telling Ms Harrington, who was seen shrugging her shoulders before engaging in another Irish jig-ballet fusion.

At one point, another Pinellas County sheriff could be heard sighing as Ms Harrington continued to dance.

As Fox35 reported, Ms Harrington was arrested on DUI charges with property damage and refusal to submit to testing. She had previously been arrested in 2019 for refusing a breath alcohol test, reports said.

It was unclear if Ms Harrington had a lawyer or had entered a plea, or was sentenced, following the incident in April.

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