A man who was driving drunk and involved in two crashes, one fatal, was arrested on Friday evening, Florida Highway Patrol said.
Nathan Hartman, 25, of Windermere, was taken into custody at the Orlando Regional Medical Center, and charged with DUI manslaughter, 3 counts of DUI property damage and leaving the scene of a crash.
Troopers say, Hartman has been involved in an earlier crash and had fled the scene, before he crashed into Beatriz Gonzalez, 63, who was heading eastbound on Ficquette Road, just before 6:30 p.m.
Hartman was traveling westbound on Ficquette Road when he entered the eastbound lane and struck the 2005 Hyundai Gonzalez was driving.
Gonzalez was pronounced dead on the spot by the medical examiner.
A third car, driven by Jennifer Wolfe, 42, attempted to avoid the crash, but struck the 2006 Honda pick-up Hartman was driving and Gonzalez’ Hyundai, before overturning.
Hartman and Gonzalez suffered minor injuries.
Hartman was booked into the Orange County Jail, but has since been released.
Several open beer cans were found inside Hartman’s Honda pickup before he was arrested, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
When drinking and driving, lives can be lost in an instant. Such a sad story.