Wrong-Way Driver Charged With Drunk Driving, Leaving Accident

NORTHDALE, FL -- A 49-year-old woman has been charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident following a crash at Gunn Highway and Isbell Lane just before 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Arline Colon was driving a Jeep Wrangler south in the northbound lanes of Gunn Highway when she encountered a Nissan Altima driven by Brooke Morgan, 21.

Morgan swerved into the painted median to avoid the crash with Colon but was struck on the passenger side by Colon's Jeep.

The front axle of the Jeep Wrangler snapped, and the vehicle eventually came to a stop in the road near North Mobley Road.

Deputies arrived and found Colon sitting in a gray sedan across from the Jeep. Her wallet was located on the Jeep's front passenger seat and her flip flops were under the Jeep's brake pedal. Deputies said Colon smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech, bloodshot, watery eyes and was unable to stand on her own.

Deputies said field sobriety tests were not conducted due to Colon's extreme level of intoxication. She refused to provide breath samples. She was transported to the Orient Road Jail and charged with driving under the influence with property damage and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage.

Image via Hillsborough Sheriff

(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)