Watch: Suspected drunk driver hits trooper’s vehicle before reaching participants in 10K race
Default Mono Sans Mono Serif Sans Serif Comic Fancy Small CapsDefault X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large XX-LargeDefault Outline Dark Outline Light Outline Dark Bold Outline Light Bold Shadow Dark Shadow Light Shadow Dark Bold Shadow Light BoldDefault Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Default Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%A Florida trooper stopped a suspected intoxicated driver in a serious collision.
By Shane Battis and Gray News Staff
PALMETTO, Fla. (WWSB/Gray News) – A Florida woman is facing a felony charge after troopers said she drove intoxicated into a roadblock that prevented her from hitting participants in a 10K race.
WWSB reports Kristen Kay Watts, 52, of Sarasota, was charged with DUI with serious injury after the Florida Highway Patrol said she ignored a series of roadblocks in place for the race, which goes across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, connecting St. Petersburg with Palmetto in Manatee County.
The crash report claims Watts ignored a detour and weaved through a series of traffic cones and other barriers.
Troopers tried to stop Watts as she kept driving toward the bridge where thousands of people were running. The report states she then drove past several Florida Fish and Wildlife officers who were guarding the closed toll plaza on the Manatee County end of the bridge.
Two troopers would park their vehicles in the northbound lanes to prevent Watts from driving toward the runners, and the FHP said she crashed her BMW into one of the patrol vehicles nearly head-on.
Both Watts and the trooper in the patrol vehicle, Toni Schuck, were injured and were taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries as a result of the crash.
Watts was later released from the hospital and booked into the Manatee County Jail.Default Mono Sans Mono Serif Sans Serif Comic Fancy Small CapsDefault X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large XX-LargeDefault Outline Dark Outline Light Outline Dark Bold Outline Light Bold Shadow Dark Shadow Light Shadow Dark Bold Shadow Light BoldDefault Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%Default Black Silver Gray White Maroon Red Purple Fuchsia Green Lime Olive Yellow Navy Blue Teal Aqua OrangeDefault 100% 75% 50% 25% 0%ABC7 News – Weekends at 6:30pm
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Curvaceous Florida Woman Suggests, “Officer, I Will Do ANYTHING For You” To Avoid Arrest After Poor Behavior On Southwest Airlines Flight
We’ve just learned that instances of unruly in-flight behavior are down 80% from their 2021 peak, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A 2021 incident that recently surfaced concerning a lady in red on Southwest Airlines in Florida provides a good reminder of why everyone just seems calmer these days onboard commercial flights.
Hoping To Avoid Arrest After Southwest Airlines Flight, She Said, “Officer, I Will Do ANYTHING For You”
A Flordia woman was arrested for refusing to leave an aircraft jetbridge at Orlando International Airport (MCO) after she got in trouble on her Southwest Airlines flight, purportedly for refusing to wear a mask. This incident occurred late on February 13, 2021, right at the height of the pandemic and during a period in which the federal government implemented a mask mandate onboard all commercial flights for every passenger aged three and above.
Police bodycam footage from the Orlando Police Department captured much of the encounter, but not what occurred onboard or in the post-flight moments leading up to her arrest. From what I can gather, she did not wear a mask onboard and was told by Southwest that she was banned from future travel. She apparently had a change of heart and tried to argue her way out of the ban…on the 737 jetbridge.
But these sorts of arguments tend to go in circles and when she refused to leave, the police were summoned. She was asked again to leave, but again refused, saying she was going to call her lawyer instead. It was at that point that handcuffs were placed on her and she was arrested.
The woman seemed genuinely startled that she was actually arrested…once she was, her tune quickly changed. Over the next few minutes (in video that is somewhat painful to watch), she:
- Demands to speak to her lawyer
- Accuses the police officers of hurting her
- Begs for forgiveness and to be let go
- Apologizes for her conduct
- Complains that she is all alone on Valentine’s Day
- Looks at the male officer and says, quite suggestively, “Officer, I will do anything for you….I will do anything. Please look at me, please!”
She was led downstairs onto the tarmac, where her ID was examined. The officer refused her advances and she was arrested. It’s not clear who she was, what happened to her, or why this 2021 video just surfaced now, but it reminds me of the “good old days.”
In all seriousness, it seems clear to me that the mask mandate onboard and the lack of alcohol were two very direct contributing causes to the massive spike in unruly behavior in the pandemic era. I’m not justifying anyone acting up because they did not want to wear a mask…but I’m quite glad to see that most folks have calmed down.
As for the lady in red, I hope she didn’t have to spend Valentine’s Day alone…
Video: Fla. trooper crashes head-on with drunk driver to protect road race
Trooper Toni Schuck prevented tragedy by selflessly putting herself in harm’s way, police said
By Michaela Mulligan
Tampa Bay Times
PALMETTO, Fla. — A woman crashed into a Florida Highway Patrol vehicle Sunday morning after failing to stop for multiple road closure signs in place for the Skyway 10K race, troopers said.
Kristen Kay Watts, 52, from Sarasota, was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence resulting in serious injury after she drove onto a portion of northbound Interstate 275 that was closed for the Skyway 10K race and crashed nearly head-on into a trooper’s SUV, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
[MORE: ‘I was the last officer’: Trooper shares how she hit drunk driver to protect 10K race]
Watts was driving a 2011 BMW 335i north on Interstate 275 at a high rate of speed about 8:45 a.m. Sunday when she approached a road closure for the race and failed to detour onto U.S. 41 as directed, troopers said. Instead, Watts drove through multiple traffic cones and other barricades with state officers present. Officers tried to pull over Watts but she continued driving north, troopers said.
Watts then came upon two Florida Fish and Wildlife officers guarding the northbound toll plaza and failed to stop. Two Florida Highway Patrol troopers in separate vehicles drove south in the northbound lane to intercept Watts and protect the thousands of race participants still on foot on the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Both patrol vehicles stopped. Within moments, Watts collided nearly head-on with one of them, a marked 2019 Chevy Tahoe.
The Highway Patrol on Monday released dramatic dashcam video showing the crash, which is below.
The crashed caused serious injuries to Watts and the trooper behind the wheel of the Tahoe, Toni Schuck, 47. Watts and Schuck were taken to nearby hospitals.
Schuck has worked for the Florida Highway patrol for 26 years.
“The FHP acknowledges and expresses our appreciation to the many that have expressed their gratitude for the trooper’s selfless actions,” the Florida Highway Patrol said in a media release Monday.
Watts was also charged with two counts of driving under the influence resulting in property damage and two counts of reckless driving involving injury and property damage. Watts was taken to the Manatee County Jail.
The annual Skyway 10K race raises money for the Armed Forces Families Foundation.
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