Lee County, FL – A woman was arrested for DUI after colliding with a CCPD patrol car, causing injuries to an officer and an inmate in North Fort Myers on Tuesday around 10 p.m.
Lee County deputies responded to the crash near Pondella Road and Moody Road.
The police officer reported driving eastbound on Pondella Rd when a vehicle emerged from a parking lot, pulling in front of her.
Attempting to switch lanes to avoid a collision, the officer’s patrol car was struck by the other vehicle, which continued to swerve.
The driver of the other vehicle was identified as 41-year-old Melisa Del Vecchio.
Deputies noted watery, bloodshot eyes and a strong smell of alcohol on her breath.
Del Vecchio exhibited incoherent speech, difficulty maintaining balance, and refused field sobriety tests or a breath sample.
During the investigation, deputies discovered a cup with a strong alcoholic odor in Del Vecchio’s vehicle, along with an empty whiskey bottle in the back seat.
The injured officer and inmate were transported to the hospital, as was Del Vecchio.