PLANT CITY, Fla. – A 25-year-old man faces charges after he drove on the wrong side of the road while impaired, before crashing his vehicle into a church on Sunday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said they observed a driver, later identified as Damian Rios, traveling north on Willow Oak Road at a high rate of speed approaching the intersection with Turner Road in Plant City.
According to an arrest report, Rios failed to stop at the stop sign, then turned west onto Turner Road, almost striking the trooper’s marked patrol vehicle.
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The trooper, believing the driver may be impaired, did a U-turn and activated their emergency lights as Rios continued to travel west on Turned Road, FHP said. According to the report, Rios was traveling on the wrong side of the road and failed to stop at the stop sign at Riverwood Drive and Turner Road.
Troopers said Rios then turned right on Riverwood Drive and accelerated, approaching Thompson Road.
According to the report, the trooper believed Rios was fleeing the traffic stop and the trooper initiated a pursuit. Rios then failed to stop at the stop sign at Thompson Road and Riverwood Drive and continued eastbound onto Thompson Road, approaching Espo Drive. Troopers said Rios turned left onto Espo Drive and accelerated again, before failing to stop at the stop sign on Espo Drive, then turned left onto State Road 60.
The vehicle was now traveling west on State Road 60 approaching County Line Road around 100 mph, the FHP said. Rios failed to stop at two consecutive red lights, continuing on State Road 60 and approaching Mud Lake Road.
Troopers said Rios attempted to turn right onto Mud Lake Road when he traveled to the west shoulder and smashed his vehicle into a church.
According to the report, Rios was placed into handcuffs when troopers noticed he had a “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his mouth area.” He also had bloodshot, watery eyes and was unsteady on his feet, the FHP said.
Rios was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, troopers said. After being released, he was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail where he failed field sobriety exercises, the FHP said. Rios’ breath samples were a .132 and .133, according to the report.
Rios faces charges of reckless driving, fleeing from law enforcement at high speeds, DUI, and careless driving.
No injuries were reported at the church, troopers said.
#Breaking - An FHP Trooper spotted an impaired wrong-way driver this morning who refused to stop until colliding with a church on SR-60 near Plant City. Fortunately, no injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/NOqf9av0X6
— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) May 7, 2023
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