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Teacher Gave Alcohol To Student Who Got DUI

Posted: 7:58 am EST November 5, 2009Updated: 6:43 pm EST November 5, 2009

A Seminole County high school teacher quit amid allegations she got students drunk and let one student drive her SUV while he was drunk. Investigators are not saying what kind of relationship Oviedo High School teacher Meredith Witt had with the student.

Oviedo High School student Dylan Ferguson, 18, was arrested and charged with DUI after he crashed the SUV he was driving into two parked cars along Horseman Drive in Oviedo Wednesday night. The Honda SUV belonged to Witt.


LISTEN: To 911 Call

Nancy Gallinson heard the car crashes.

“It looks like he hit it and then kind of veered off again,” she described.

Police believe Dylan Ferguson was drunk behind the wheel of the mangled SUV owned by his teacher. They say he crashed into a Mercedes and a Mountaineer moments before the driver got in it.

“If he had been only minute earlier, he might've possibly been hit,” Gallinson said.

Ferguson's drunken drive allegedly began at the home of his Oviedo high school teacher, Meredith Witt. Witt has admitted to hosting a party for several students where she served them beer before allowing Ferguson to drive her car home.

Ferguson's mother, who didn’t want to reveal her name, said Witt's parties were only the tip of the iceberg.

“We're very unhappy about the entire situation,” his mother said.

Witt’s neighbors say her husband travels frequently. It isn’t clear where her young daughter was during Monday's party.

Witt resigned from her position at Oviedo High school on Wednesday. She'll now be investigated by state education officials.

“She talked to all of the students and a lot of the students knew her. But parties? I never went to a party with her,” student Jeff Busek said.

Ferguson was already on probation on a juvenile charge. He now faces DUI and hit and run charges. His mother pins the blame on Witt.

“He's a really good kid that has been put in a bad situation,” she said.

Witt's only criminal charge may be a misdemeanor for serving alcohol to minors. Her school district file shows no prior discipline problems.

State education officials can take away her teaching license and may investigate whether she was having an inappropriate relationship with any student.

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