Florida ‘Designated Driver’ Charged With DUI After Chugging Bourbon And Hitting Parked Cars

Florida ‘Designated Driver’ Charged With DUI After Chugging Bourbon And Hitting Parked Cars Port St. Lucie Police Department

A Florida woman who was supposed to be acting as a designated driver for a night out with friends was arrested and charged with DUI after she downed bourbon and crashed into several parked cars. Melanie Esclera, 40, is said to have had a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit when she performed a breathalyzer test just after 1 a.m. in Port St. Lucie, Fox News reports. Officers found the empty bottle of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey in the front seat of her vehicle.

  1. The engine compartment of Esclera’s car caught fire. After she hit the third parked car, Esclera’s caught fire. The blaze in the 2010 sedan had to be extinguished by police but thankfully no one was hurt. However, the three parked cars she hit did suffer damage.
  2. Esclera fully admitted that she’d been drinking. She told police that she was meant to be the designated driver but had just left a bar before the crash. It’s not clear whether she showed any remorse for the crash or for getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while drunk.
  3. She was arrested and taken to Port St. Lucie jail. She was charged with suspicion of driving under the influence. She was only one of three DUI arrests that occurred over a single weekend in Port St. Lucie.
  4. It’s unclear when she will appear in court or what charges she might face. However, hopefully she will think twice about ever getting in her car after she’s been drinking, if not for her own safety, for the safety of others around her.
Jennifer Still is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience. The managing editor of Bolde, she has bylines in Vanity Fair, Business Insider, The New York Times, Glamour, Bon Appetit, and many more. You can follow her on Twitter @jenniferlstill
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