A Vero Beach woman is behind bars in connection with a deadly utility terrain vehicle crash in Okeechobee County.
D, 25, was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol Saturday night at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce.
Once D was medically cleared by the hospital, she was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on Sunday.
D, a native of Honduras, is facing one charge of DUI causing death to human or unborn child and three charges of DUI damage to property or person.
According to an FHP report, on Saturday, May 16, a trooper was dispatched to a fatal crash at 21021 NW 240th Street in rural Okeechobee County.
The property belongs to the Coquina Water Control District. When the trooper arrived at the scene, they observed a UTV, also known as a side-by-side, upright on a soft sand surface facing east.
The trooper noted debris was scattered around the UTV, blood was visible on the driver-side door, and both rear tires were damaged.
The trooper found a bottle of Corona beer in the rear of the vehicle, along with blood on the sand and crushed Modelo beer cans.
A witness told the trooper he and a group of people, including D, were in Fort Pierce earlier in the day, and they traveled to the location in Okeechobee County.
The witness said he observed D drinking shots of Blue Label whiskey and beer.
The witness said D was seated in the driver’s seat of the UTV, and three passengers were in the UTV.
According to the witness, the UTV accelerated rapidly east and kicked up soft sand.
Dmade a hard left turn, causing the UTV to overturn. One of the passengers was ejected from the UTV and struck the sand surface.
The witness told the FHP trooper that he believed D was “impaired and acting hyper and had been drinking alcoholic beverages while operating” the UTV.
According to an initial crash report provided by FHP on Sunday, a 34-year-old woman from Port St. Lucie was ejected from the UTV.
She was transported by helicopter to HCA Lawnwood Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
D was initially taken to a hospital in Okeechobee for her injuries but then flown to the hospital in Fort Pierce.
Two other women, a 33-year-old from Homestead and a 24-year-old from Vero Beach, also sustained injuries in the crash.
According to an FHP report, a Fort Pierce Police Department sergeant was informed by a nurse that D’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.128%, which is more than Florida’s alcohol concentration limit of 0.08%.
A passenger of the UTV provided statements to the trooper that aligned with the witness’ statements. The trooper determined that the UTV sustained $5,000 in damage.
D is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail on $30,000 bail on the three DUI damage charges and was not given bail on the DUI death charge.
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Source: Wpbf
