Lakeland man charged with DUI after hitting 3-year-old with vehicle on Daytona Beach
A 36-year-old Lakeland man, Brock Winkler, has been arrested and charged with DUI following an incident on Daytona Beach yesterday afternoon.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred Saturday around 4:14 p.m. near the University Boulevard beach parking lot.
Incident Details
- The Victim: A 3-year-old boy was struck after he reportedly ran from the ocean across traffic lanes and into the path of a Jeep.
- Medical Status: The child was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center as a trauma alert. Fortunately, he was later discharged with injuries that did not require surgery and is expected to recover.
- The Driver: Winkler remained at the scene and cooperated with the initial investigation.
The Charges
While investigators noted the child had darted into traffic, witnesses informed deputies that Winkler had been drinking prior to the crash. Evidence at the scene included several empty beer cans where the vehicle had been parked.
Following field sobriety exercises, Winkler was charged with:
- DUI with serious bodily injury
- Refusal to submit to DUI testing (after refusing a breathalyzer)
Winkler was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.