TAMPA, Fla. — A woman was arrested early Sunday morning after troopers said she fled at speeds exceeding 120 mph on the Howard Frankland Bridge before being stopped in a fiery crash, according to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
Around 2:56 a.m., Trooper Vazquez Cruz attempted to stop a black Audi heading northbound on Interstate 275 into Hillsborough County. The driver, identified as 19-year-old Kimberly Melissa Gutierrez, weaved across lanes before the pursuit was ended with a PIT maneuver, according to a criminal report affidavit.
Troopers said the Audi caught fire after the crash and multiple occupants were pulled from the vehicle. Gutierrez was placed in a patrol car and taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital for medical clearance, per the report.
Troopers said Gutierrez showed signs of impairment, including slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and the odor of alcohol. After being read her rights, Gutierrez admitted to having five margaritas in Ybor City before going to Clearwater and drinking three Twisted Teas while out with friends, according to FHP.
Given her condition and the crash circumstances, troopers conducted a limited set of field sobriety tests, the affidavit said. Gutierrez was arrested for DUI shortly after and later provided breath samples at the jail, registering BAC readings of 0.111 and 0.102 — both over Florida’s legal limit of 0.08.
10-year-old Pasco County boy suffers life-threatening injuries after accident
State troopers said a 10-year-old on a bicycle attempted to cross the highway when he was struck by two vehicles.
