VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A sunny Saturday afternoon at a Florida beach turned into a scene of panic when a 3-year-old boy was hit by a Jeep near the University Boulevard parking lot in Daytona Beach.
The incident, which occurred around 4:14 p.m., sent the toddler to the hospital as a trauma alert, though officials confirmed he was discharged later that day with injuries that did not require surgery.
According to witness accounts provided to deputies, the young boy was running from the water across the designated beach traffic lanes when he darted directly into the path of the vehicle.
The Jeep, driven by 36-year-old Brock Winkler of Lakeland, was traveling at a low speed when the impact occurred. While the initial crash investigation determined that the collision was caused by the child entering the traffic lane unexpectedly, the investigation quickly shifted focus toward the driver’s condition.
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Bystanders at the scene informed deputies that Winkler had been drinking throughout the day. Investigators were even provided with a photograph showing several empty beer cans left behind at the spot where Winkler had been parked.
Following these reports, deputies launched a DUI investigation on the sand. After Winkler performed field sobriety exercises, authorities determined there was probable cause to arrest him. Winkler was charged with DUI resulting in serious bodily injury. Because he refused to provide a breath sample for testing, he faces an additional charge for that refusal.
Winkler was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail.
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