Naples Mayor arrested for a second time, future in office unclear

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK) — Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann is back in jail, arrested Monday night for an alleged violation of probation, just months after accepting a DUI plea deal.

Now, with two criminal cases tied to the mayor, major questions remain about what happens next for the city and whether anyone has the authority to remove her from office.

Heitmann was taken into custody Monday evening. This latest arrest stems from her 2024 DUI case, where deputies said she was driving more than twice the legal limit.

In February, she accepted a plea deal that included 12 months of probation, random drug and alcohol testing, and other conditions.

On Tuesday, a judge set a $10,000 bond with additional restrictions. Those include weekly check-ins with a probation officer, mandatory alcohol testing, and limits on travel outside the county.

WINK News reached out to Mayor Heitmann via email requesting a comment. She did not answer.

Unanswered questions about leadership

WINK News reached out to all Naples City Council members, asking if they believe Mayor Heitmann can continue to effectively serve in her role at this time and if they believe she should consider stepping down. No one provided a comment.

A spokesperson for the City of Naples said they are "aware of the situation" involving the Mayor. 

"The Naples residents and visitors can be assured that the City Council, administration, and staff remain dedicated to serving our community," the spokesperson wrote via email. 

The spokesperson continued to say, "City operations will continue as normal under the City Manager. If the Mayor is unavailable, the Vice Mayor performs the Mayor’s official duties as outlined in the City Charter."

Under the city’s council-manager system, the city manager oversees daily operations. If the mayor is unavailable, the vice mayor can step in to perform official duties, such as signing documents and running meetings.

What power does the state have?

Under Florida law, the governor has the authority to suspend a municipal official under certain circumstances. That suspension would be temporary, with the Florida Senate ultimately deciding whether to remove or reinstate the official.

WINK News contacted the Governor’s Office to ask whether the governor is aware of the arrest and if any action, including a possible suspension, is being considered. The office has not responded.

At least one Naples community member has already contacted the governor’s office requesting action.

“I called Governor Ron DeSantis’ office. I spoke with one of his staff members… and I have asked him to remove her as mayor,” said Scott Lepore, chairman of the Naples Better Government Committee. "I personally think the governor is going to remove her from office, and then we can get on with the business of the city in Naples. We can actually elect a mayor who will do the job without getting arrested, and we can move forward."

Lepore says he believes the situation has reached a breaking point.

“You can’t run the mayor’s office from a jail cell, and everybody knows that. Enough is enough,” he said. "If you can't follow the simple rules to stay out of jail, then you don't need to hold elected office. You need to go back to being a private citizen."

Lepore added, "It seems like there's some special treatment being done here, and that's a real problem for me."

Mixed reactions from the community

Reactions from Naples residents are divided.

Former Naples Mayor Bill Barnett, who served 16 years in the role and another 12 on city council and later ran for reelection against Heitmann, says the situation reflects poorly on the city.

“My reaction to the whole thing is it's pretty disgusting, and I think the best thing that she could possibly do would be to resign,” Barnett said. "The whole thing just looks really, really bad, really bad."

Barnett also questioned whether the mayor can continue to lead.

“I don’t see how you could support her anymore, and I don’t see how you could respect her anymore,” he said.

He added that he believes city council members could take action.

“I think the council will, or should, give her a vote of no confidence,” Barnett said.

Not everyone agrees with the former mayor. Naples resident Margo Vincent is urging patience and support for the mayor.

"I'm just going to support her. We all have made mistakes, and sometimes we make mistakes more than once,” Vincent said. "I would encourage her, possibly, to look within herself and see if she thinks she has a problem, and if so, to have some counseling"

She also encouraged the public not to rush to judgment.

“We should just give her some support and not be so judgmental.” Vincent said. "Maybe there's some underlying problems there, but she does a good job."

What happens next

As the legal case moves forward, attention now turns to whether:

• The governor will take action
• City leaders will respond publicly and potentially call a no-confidence vote
• Or the mayor herself will address the situation

The Collier County Supervisor of Elections told WINK News the mayor’s term runs through 2028 and her position would be on the 2028 Presidential Preference Primary Election. 

For now, there are still no clear answers about whether Heitmann will remain in office — or who, if anyone, will step in.