CAPE CORAL, Fla.—A 19-year-old woman found herself in handcuffs early Sunday morning after a troubling wrong-way crash near the Cape Coral Bridge.
Authorities arrested Ashley Nicholle Hernandez-Gonzalez, who they say was driving with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office reported that Hernandez-Gonzalez drove in the wrong direction before crashing. Her arrest followed field sobriety tests that she did not pass.
“A wrong way? I think it’s horrific,” one neighbor said, expressing alarm over the incident.
Sharon Eisland, a resident, shared her concerns about the broader impact of such incidents.
“A lot of times, people who suffer the most with the DUIs are the people who are not intoxicated, and the person who causes the accident. They’re the ones who walk away with no scars,” said Eisland.
Another resident, Anthony Moraccio, emphasized the importance of defensive driving.
“I’m a defensive driver, so I know wherever I’m driving, I make sure I know where everybody is at all times. I got my mirrors. So I always want to go home and be alive,” Moraccio said.
The arrest report detailed that Hernandez-Gonzalez collided with a Mercedes, a guardrail, and a concrete wall during her drive. She was not alone in the car, as two passengers were reportedly with her.
“That’s careless, not putting, you know, not thinking of the other person, putting other people’s lives at risk. It’s horrible,” said another concerned individual.
Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Hernandez-Gonzalez faces charges after her blood alcohol level tested at .225, nearly three times the legal limit.