A Villages woman recently lost her driver’s license after admitting that she had been drinking at a country club shortly before slamming her car into a golf cart.
The 74-year-old Village of Gilchrist woman pleaded no contest to a charge of reckless driving, Villages-News reports. The charge reportedly was knocked down after the woman was initially accused of driving under the influence.
The woman crashed her Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicle into the golf cart in a May accident near Bonifay Country Club, according to Villages-News.
She told police officers that she’d consumed one glass of wine at the country club and later said it was two glasses, Villages-News reports. She eventually submitted to breathalyzer tests that showed the woman’s blood alcohol content was between .065 and .071 percent, below the legal limit of .08 percent.
The officers said the woman struggled to complete a field sobriety test. That includes having “an extremely difficult time” placing her index finger on the tip of her nose.
As a result of the plea, the woman will lose her driver’s license for six months. She was also given a year of probation and ordered to perform 30 hours of community service.
Drinking and Driving Threatens Lives
These incidents are all too common in the Villages and across Florida.
Two other Villagers recently had their driver’s licenses suspended over similar infractions, for example. Both were charged with driving under the influence.
An 80-year-old man lost his driving privileges after a New Year’s Eve crash in which he slammed his sport utility vehicle into a number of golf carts in a Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot. Weeks earlier, a 50-year-old Village of Poinciana woman had her license suspended after wrecking her golf cart.
The reckless decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated not only poses a threat to the person driving under the influence. It also puts his or her passengers and everyone else on the road at risk.
The good news for anyone injured in a crash caused by a drunk driver is that you have the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the accident. That includes the driver, as well as other parties who may be to blame.
The money damages available in these cases include compensation for medical bills, property damage, missed wages due to time away from work and other financial consequences of the crash. In the tragic event that a person dies in a car accident in Florida, his or her loved ones can seek similar compensation for wrongful death.
Speak with a Villages Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car, truck, motorcycle, golf cart or other vehicle accident, Villages accident attorney Tim Babiarz can help you get the full compensation available under the law.
Our firm is pleased to represent clients in the Villages and throughout the area, including in Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield, and beyond. Call (352) 205-7559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
