Dunedin Man Arrested After Crashing Into Palm Harbor Tiki Bar

PALM HARBOR, FL -- Deputies have arrested a man for DUI after he crashed a vehicle into an outdoor tiki bar and injured two people during a festival in downtown Palm Harbor.

Around 7:49 p.m. Friday, April 13, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the Thirsty Marlin Grill & Bar, 1023 Florida Ave., during the annual Citrus Festival in downtown Palm Harbor.

Deputies say 55 year-old Beatrice Cahenzli, of 1862 Arbor Drive S., Palm Harbor, had parked her 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the alleyway on the north side of the business, just west of 11th Street. Cahenzli was trying to leave and was having trouble backing her car out when an acquaintance, 59 year-old Duane Wagner, of 1885 Laurelwood Lane, Dunedin,offered to move the car for her.

Deputies say Wagner got into the vehicle, placed the vehicle in reverse and accelerated backward, striking a Duke Energy power pole on the north side of the alleyway. The impact caused significant damage to the power pole.

Wagner then placed the car in drive and accelerated southbound across the alleyway, striking Cahenzli and throwing her up onto the hood of the vehicle.

Wagner continued accelerating and drove through a 6-foot wooden stockade fence on the north side of the Thirsty Marlin Grill & Bar. The vehicle crashed through the fence and struck four patrons who were located in the outside tiki bar area of the establishment.

Paramedics responded to the scene and treated Cahenzli and an injured patron, 71-year-old Jennifer Schutt of Clearwater. The three other patrons refused medical treatment at the scene.

Cahenzli was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Schutt was transported to Florida Hospital North Pinellas with non-life-threatening injuries.

Duke Energy was called to the scene to address power outages in the area as a result of the damaged power pole.

Deputies made contact with Wagner who claimed that he got the brake pedal and the accelerator mixed up which caused him to crash the car.

While speaking with Wagner, deputies noted he showed signs of impairment. They said he had bloodshot, glass, and watery eyes and a distinct odor of an alcohol was coming from his breath when he spoke.

Wagner agreed to perform field sobriety tests, but he performed poorly on them.

Deputies say that Wagner submitted a breath sample that indicated he had a blood-alcohol level of .103/.101.

Wagner was arrested and charged with one count of felony DUI and one count of felony driving while license is permanently revoked.

Wagner was transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident.

Deputies say Wagner has two prior DUI convictions in 1993 and 2009. Wagner is currently awaiting trial for a third DUI arrest from December 2017. His driver's license has been permanently revoked since 2009.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff