Elena Ford Guilty of Driving While Intoxicated in Detroit Suburb

A district court in Ferndale, MI accepted multi-millionaire Elena Ford’s guilty plea for driving while intoxicated while her son – under 16 years old – was in the new silver Ford Explorer she was weaving up Woodward Avenue.

Judge Joseph Longo sentenced the Ford Motor Company heiress to 24 months of probation and a 93-day jail sentence that is deferred if Elena Ford does not violate her probation.

Elena Ford, 44, of Birmingham, MI and New York City told the judge “This is a complete embarrassment to my family, especially having my son in the car. “I embarrassed my friends and the people I work with,” she said.

Elena Ford was arrested on 3 April 2011 in Ferndale for operating her company-owned Ford Explorer while under the influence of alcohol with her 11-year-old son in the backseat. She registered 0.14 on alcohol tests at the station, which is well beyond the legal threshold of 0.08.

Elena Ford must perform 240 days of community service and pay $1,518 in fines and court costs. However, she retained custody of her son, which was part of a previous divorce settlement.

Ford is the great-great granddaughter of Henry Ford and the granddaughter of Henry Ford II. Ford earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from New York University.