Woman slams into FHP Cruiser, arrested for DUI

A woman slammed her car into the back of a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser. When the trooper checked on the driver, he noticed the smell of alcohol and that she was passed out at the wheel.

Sabrina Saari was arrested for DUI at the intersection of Immokalee Road and Wilson Boulevard near Orangetree. Saari’s blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit when she was found.

The trooper says he was outside of his cruiser when he saw Saari’s car speeding down the road in the outside lane. That trooper and a Collier County Sheriff’s Deputy had to jump over a rail to avoid getting hit.

In an arrest report, Saari told investigators that she works at the Blue Monkey Bar & Grill as a bartender. And, after work, she went to another bar where she said she had several glasses of wine and cocktails.

Luckily, no one was injured in this crash.

Troopers said Saari was convicted of DUI in 2013, according to an arrest report. After hearing about the prior conviction, some in Collier County believe DUI laws should be more strict.

For John Zumaeta, hearing that Saari’s blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit was “very disturbing.”

And, it’s a sobering reality for those living near the intersection of Immokalee Rd and Wilson Blvd, like Isaiah Heard. “I am kind of… a little bit scared hearing that it’s around this area,” he said.

The fact that she was a bartender as well concerned Zumaeta. “Everybody knows you don’t drink or drive. It’s only a phone call or a text. You know I mean, and being a bartender, it’s even scarier,” said Zumaeta.

Some now want stricter DUI laws, knowing that Saari was previously convicted. “Maybe some kind of restrictions or something,” Zumaeta said. “I don’t know if they have records of that you know where they check up on people and see if they’re doing well years later. That’s disturbing to hear.”

WINK News reached out to the Blue Monkey where Saari worked, and a manager told us “no comment.”