Deputies Say Woman Drove Recklessly Down Dunedin Causeway

DUNEDIN, FL —A woman has been arrested for drunk driving after Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies said she drove recklessly on the Dunedin Causeway, crashing into one vehicle, nearly hitting a sheriff's cruiser and a pedestrian.

According to investigators, at about 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8, someone called 911 to report that a silver-colored Honda Insight driving west on Causeway Boulevard in Dunedin was swerving all over the road, nearly striking other vehicles, a guard rail and a pedestrian near Honeymoon Island State Park.

A deputy activity the cruiser's siren and lights, and tried to pull the Honda over but the car crossed the center line and almost collided with the deputy's cruiser. The deputy had to take evasive action.

Investigators say the driver of the Honda crossed the center yellow line a second time and struck the left rear corner of a 2010 Mercedes Benz GL420 being driven by Frank Souza, 59, of Bell Shoals Road in Brandon, who was traveling in the same direction. Paramedics responded and transported a passenger in the Mercedes, Adriana Souza, 54, to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Because of the danger the Honda was posing to the public, a deputy finally used her marked Chevrolet Tahoe to bump the left rear corner of the Honda, causing it to stop. Another deputy used a cruiser to block the Honda to prevent it from driving away.

Deputies said the driver, Deborah Gillies, 60, of Rolling Oaks Avenue in Tarpon Springs, showed signs of impairment with bloodshot, watery eyes and the odor of alcohol on her breath. A blood-alcohol test showed a BrAC of.256/.264. The legal limit is .08.

She was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and one count of reckless driving with property damage or injury.