Wife of former Miami Heat star arrested for DUI

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (WSVN) -- Tracy Mourning, the wife of former Miami Heat player Alonzo Mourning, was arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated, Friday.

The well-known philanthropist spent the morning in the Miami-Dade County Jail after a police officer pulled her over, just before 4 a.m. Friday morning. The law enforcer noticed Mourning's car weaving in traffic in Coconut Grove and kept up with her until she approached Cocoplum Circle in Coral Gables. She was eventually stopped and arrested.

According to the arrest affidavit, a Miami-Dade police officer started following Mourning on Southwest 37th Avenue, near Main Highway in Coconut Grove. She was going 48 mph in a 20 mph speed zone.

The officer continued to tail Mourning on Ingraham Highway, where she was weaving. He eventually followed her to the Cocoplum Circle in neighboring Coral Gables, where she drove fully around the circle.

Shortly after, Mourning was stopped. According to the affidavit, Mourning was barefoot when she stepped out of her Porsche, and when she spoke to the officer, "she winked and said, 'I was going fast, wasn't I?'"

The officer "could smell an odor of an alcoholic beverage, see her bloodshot eyes and hear her slow, deliberate speech. As the officer account continues, Mourning "said she was returning home from dinner with amazing friends, but that she had not been drinking."

Mourning failed the standard field sobriety test. According to the arrest affidavit, Mourning refused to take a breathalyzer test.

"The good thing is, she didn't hit nobody," said Darnell Wilcott, a fan of the prominent couple. Nevertheless, he added that "you should never drink and drive."

Livia Wilcott, Darnell's wife, said she hopes "everything works out for her." "We wish her the best," she said.

Other Heat fans who were interviewed at the American Airlines Arena were surprised by Friday morning's events. "I'm very sorry to hear [what happened]," said a woman. "She just has to be careful, you can't be drinking and driving," she continued. "Everybody commits mistakes," a man commented.

This is not the first traffic incident for the family. In July 2011, Alonzo admitted to leaving the scene of an accident and returning shortly thereafter. At the time, he said, "It was very unfortunate, and we're going to get it resolved."

A North Miami high school that opened in 2009 was named after Mourning and her husband, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on Friday. She also has a separate mentoring program.

Darnell and Livia Wilcott are hoping to enroll their daughter in the school that bears the Mournings' name. According to Livia, Mourning's DUI "is not going to deter us from allowing our daughter to go to this school, because it's still highly recommended."

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