Margot “Peggy” Cioffi
The Executive Director of a Florida agency (The Comprehensive Offender Rehabilitation and Education CORE program established to provide classes for people convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs) was suspended Wednesday after her DUI arrest Monday.
Margot “Peggy” Cioffi, 59, of Palm City, was charged with property damage DUI, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, resisting arrest without violence, and disorderly intoxication. Cioffi was accused of crashing into another car with her Nissan SUV and driving home.
A hit-and-run auto accident on Martin Downs Boulevard near Matheson Avenue in Palm City [MAP/SAT] about 5:30 p.m. Monday led to Cioffi’s arrest about 90 minutes later at her home in the Lighthouse Point subdivision. During the arrest, she pulled away from a deputy as he tried to handcuff her. She was screaming loudly, causing neighbors to come out of their houses to see the disturbance.
Cioffi’s blood alcohol content level measured by breathalyzer showed 0.336 percent — over four times the legal driving limit in Florida, which is 0.08 percent. Cioffi was released from the Martin County Jail on Tuesday on $2,000 bond.
CORE’s board suspended Cioffi without pay on Wednesday pending the resolution of the criminal charges. The nonprofit agency will continue to provide educational services to people on probation for DUI and other misdemeanors in Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties.
Co-workers praised Cioffi’s work and said her behavior was totally out of character.