A Collier County sheriff’s deputy was heading through Lee County around 3 a.m. when she noticed a vehicle stopped in the middle of a lane. She stopped to help, despite being outside of her jurisidiction. She pulled her patrol car in behind the van and called for backup. What responders eventually found inside was an unconscious driver, an open beer, and a running engine.
The incident happened along Tamiami Trail South near Estero Parkway, in the area. The Collier deputy was worried about what the stopped car meant as well as its potential haards. After calling it in, she waited with her cruiser in front of the vehicle. Lee County deputies and Fire/EMS crews soon arrived to take over the situation.
When the responders approached the van, they saw the driver unconscious behind the wheel. The engine was running, the van was not technically parked, and the man inside was holding an open beer can. Any movement from the responders could send the vehicle rolling. Fire/EMS crews wedged wooden blocks behind the tires while the Collier deputy laid down stop sticks in front of it…