ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — A Pinellas County woman was arrested for allegedly hitting a pedestrian with her car while under the influence and leaving the scene.
Authorities said around 9 p.m. on March 25, deputies assigned to the Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) arrived on scene and found 56-year-old Paula Poe lying on the curb of Gulf Boulevard with life-threatening injuries. They determined she had been hit by a vehicle, and the suspect vehicle was seen driving south on Gulf Boulevard, leaving debris in the roadway.
Poe was taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition.
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) deputies located the suspect vehicle, a 2019 Cadillac Escalade, in a hotel parking lot in Tierra Verde. PCSO identified the driver as 43-year-old Margaret Barah Gardner.
Authorities said Gardner showed signs of impairment and performed poorly on the field sobriety tests. PCSO charged Gardner with driving under the influence, refusal to submit to testing, and leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury.
The future of Rays baseball in St. Pete has businesses taking it game by game
"It's gonna be probably a 30% difference of more customers, and that's a big difference for small businesses," said Bill Georgiou, who has owned The Burg Bar & Grill on Central Avenue for 17 years.
