Woman arrested for fleeing from Deputy

A 62-year-old Plantation Key woman was arrested Thursday after fleeing from a Deputy.

Juanita Powell Legate was charged with fleeing and eluding, operating a vehicle without a valid license and resisting arrest. She was also cited for improper use of a horn.

Deputy Viergutz was in his patrol car at Mile Marker 89 on the Old Road in Islamorada at 2:47 p.m. when he saw Cadillac nearly rear-end another car that had stopped to allow a family to cross the street. The driver of the Cadillac, later identified as Legate, then sounded the horn for a gratuitous amount of time. Deputy Viergutz stopped the Cadillac and identified Legate as the driver. Legate’s license was suspended and the car had a seize-tag order. Deputy Viergutz informed Legate of the infractions and informed her the car was to be towed.

Legate became irate and asked if she could call a friend to take the car. Deputy Viergutz explained there was a court order to seize the vehicle. Legate asked to park the car in several places, but Deputy Viergutz again explained the court order and that otherwise, he could not give her permission to park in the car on private property. Legate said the car was not to be towed and she placed it in drive and nearly ran over Deputy Viergutz’s foot as she fled away behind the wheel. Deputy Viergutz then got back in his patrol car and activiated his lights and sirens. Legate stopped the car shortly thereafter. She was placed into custody without further incident.

Legate was taken to jail.