A Villager who crashed her car into a retirement center on Saturday evening had reportedly been drinking.
The 72-year-old resident of the Historic Side of The Villages was at the wheel of a silver 2021 Hyundai Accent four-door at 6:45 p.m. when she crashed into a resident’s apartment at the Pebble Springs Retirement Community off County Road 466 near the Saddlebrook Recreation Complex in The Villages.
The Villager was trapped in her car and had to be extricated by members of The Villages Public Safety Department, who cut the roof off the vehicle to free her. The woman was transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center.
The release of an accident report by the Florida Highway Patrol is shedding additional light on the circumstances of the crash.
Emergency personnel told the FHP investigator that when they freed the woman from the car, she “had a strong odor of (an) alcoholic beverage” and “appeared to be intoxicated.” When the investigator arrived at the hospital to interview the driver, he was informed by hospital staff that her “blood alcohol content was above the legal limit.” In addition, a “green leafy substance consistent with marijuana” had been found in the vehicle. The Villager has not been arrested but could face charges after a toxicology report is received by FHP.
Her car initially hit a light pole before crashing into apartment 148 at the residential complex. The initial financial toll on the apartment was estimated at $200,000. The vehicle crashed through the glass sliding doors, leaving the living room in ruins.
The impact also extended to apartment 150, inflicting about $20,000 in additional destruction. The residents were not injured, and it is not clear if they were inside at the time. Pebble Springs had activities taking place Saturday night, involving many of the residents at the 128-apartment complex.