A three-year-old boy was hospitalized on Saturday afternoon after he was struck by a Jeep on a Volusia County beach.
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the beach located near the University Boulevard parking lot at around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, in reference to a young child being struck by a vehicle, according to VCSO.
Witnesses reportedly told deputies that the child was “running across the traffic lanes from the ocean” when he “darted in front of the Jeep.” The vehicle proceeded to hit the child while traveling at “low speed.”
The child was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center as a trauma alert due to his age. He was later discharged from the hospital with injuries that did not require surgery, according to VCSO.
The Jeep’s driver, identified as 36-year-old Lakeland resident Brock Adam Winkler, remained at the scene of the crash. Deputies determined that the child had “dart(ed) into the traffic lane,” resulting in the collision.
However, the sheriff’s office stated that multiple witnesses reported that Winkler had consumed alcoholic beverages prior to the crash. Deputies were provided a photograph, which reportedly showed multiple empty beer cans that were left behind by Winkler in the location where his Jeep had been parked.
After initiating a DUI investigation, which included field sobriety exercises, deputies “found probable cause to charge Winkler with DUI with serious injury.” VCSO stated that Winkler refused to provide a breath sample, which resulted in an additional charge of refusal to submit to DUI testing.
Winkler was booked into Volusia County Jail, where he remains in custody. His bond has been set at $11,000.