Another recent spate of drinking and driving incidents is yet another reminder of the hazards facing anyone traveling by car in The Villages.
A 63-year-old Village of Rio Grande woman was arrested and charged with DUI after an accident near the Costco at Buffalo Ridge Plaza, Villages News reports. The woman reportedly was busted after crashing into another car and fleeing the scene.
She had been driving on the wrong side of the street before the crash, according to witnesses. When cops tracked down the woman, they found that her vehicle had fresh damage and she appeared to be intoxicated.
The woman told officers that she does not drink after they found a half-empty bottle of Fireball whiskey in the car. Breath tests showed her blood alcohol content was as high as 0.121%.
She was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on charges of DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.
At least two other local residents were popped for DUI within a five-day span.
The first, a 57-year-old Coleman man, was arrested after backing his truck into a fence and getting it stuck. He reportedly struggled through a field sobriety test and provided breath samples showing that his BAC was 0.163%, more than twice the legal limit.
Days later, a 64-year-old Villages woman reportedly was found pulling up her shorts while her white Jeep Cherokee was parked at the entrance to the Village of Bridgeport at Lake Sumter. She “almost fell multiple times” during field sobriety exercises and later provided breath samples that registered her BAC as high as 0.146%, according to Villages News.
Drunk Driving Kills
Getting behind the wheel while intoxicated is a reckless decision that can have a lasting impact. Roughly 1,000 people are killed across Florida every year in accidents involving drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs, according to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Anyone who has been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver has the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the crash. That includes money for medical bills, missed wages during recuperation, property damage, and other consequences of the crash.
In the tragic event that a person dies in a DUI or other crash, certain family members can similarly seek to hold those to blame responsible by bringing a wrongful death claim. No amount of money will ever replace a loved one, but this compensation can help ease some of the financial burden that often comes with losing a family member.
Speak With a Villages Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car or other accident, it is vital to seek the advice of an experienced injury attorney. Villages accident attorney Tim Babiarz has been fighting for people and families across the community for more than two decades.
Our office is conveniently located in the Villages. We are also proud to represent clients throughout the area, including in Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield and beyond. Call (352) 205-7559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Villages accident attorney.
