A teenager in Tampa, Florida, was arrested after an alleged DUI chase, which ended with her vehicle in flames following a PIT maneuver. As per the authorities, while at the hospital, she admitted to having many drinks before getting behind the wheel, including five margaritas.
As reported by WTSP, citing the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the incident occurred on Sunday, June 21. At around 3 a.m., a Black Audi was seen traveling northbound along the Howard Frankland Bridge.
Eventually, a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed the vehicle. Allegedly, the driver reached speeds of 120 mph and was recklessly driving.
Therefore, a pursuit was initiated. A criminal affidavit obtained by Tampa Bay 28 detailed that the driver, then identified as 19-year-old Kimberly Melissa Gutierrez, waved across lanes before a deputy performed a PIT maneuver, putting an end to the chase, as seen in the footage attached below.
Fiery Crash
After the maneuver was performed on I-275, Gutierrez’s vehicle crashed. Shortly after, the car burst into flames.
As a result, and fearing a fatal outcome, FHP troopers rushed to the crashed scene and rescued the vehicle’s occupants. Other than Gutierrez, other passengers were also found inside, and all of them were pulled from the vehicle.
Gutierrez was then placed on the back of a trooper’s patrol car. No details of what happened to the other vehicle’s occupants have been made available by the FHP, and it is unclear if anyone was seriously injured by the crash or subsequent fire.
Margarita Admission
While sitting in the back of the patrol unit, troopers began noticing various signs of impairment, the FHP said. According to the authorities, these include bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and a smell of alcohol.
Troopers transported the 19-year-old woman to BayCare St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. There, the woman allegedly admitted to going out for drinks with friends.
As per the FHP, Gutierrez admitted to having 5 margaritas in Ybor City and three Twisted Teas in Clearwater. That’s a 40-minute drive.
BAC, Charges
Troopers conducted a variety of field sobriety tests. A FHP detailed that Gutierrez performed “poorly” on all of them, and she was arrested at around 5:18 a.m.
After her discharge at 6:23 a.m., the woman agreed to take part in a voluntary breath test. Allegedly, the test revealed a BAC of 0.111 and 0.102. Florida’s legal limit is 0.08.
Kimberly Melissa Gutierrez is charged with driving under the influence involving property damage or personal injury, FOX 13 reported. Given that no serious bodily injuries were reported, the 19-year-old could face up to 12 months behind bars and be ordered to pay $1,000 in fines.