SEBASTIAN – A 43-year-old woman was arrested Friday after she crashed her car into two parked vehicles before walking down to the beach to lay in the sun, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Kara Ann Suthard, of Sebastian, was identified as the driver who crashed into the two parked cars at the Wabasso Beach Access. Two witnesses said she then left her vehicle and walked down to the beach as if nothing happened.
“The crash was witnessed by two citizens who contacted law enforcement after she walked away. The defendant did remain on the beach ‘sunning’ herself until she was contacted,” the deputy said.
After deputies made contact with Suthard, she admitted to driving the vehicle and crashing into the two other vehicles, but said “I didn’t think I hit them that bad to cause damage,” the report said.
When Suthard returned to her car with deputies, she began picking up broken pieces of her car from under the vehicle she hit. She told law enforcement, “well yes I pick them up,” according to the arrest affidavit.
Suthard then stated that she did not hit any vehicles in the beach parking lot.
“The vehicle damage to the two vehicles she hit was approximately $2,100.00,” the deputy said.
Suthard appeared to be intoxicated, with red glassy eyes, slurred speech, and she was very unsteady on her feet, the arrest affidavit said.
Deputies said she almost fell while standing on the boardwalk and had to use the railing. When she was asked if she had been drinking that day, she said, “no, not a drop.”
Suthard was then arrested for Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Property Damage. A deputy then advised Suthard that there was also going to be a DUI investigation. Suthard then yelled, “This is not a DUI,” the report said.
After submitting a breath test, the results were .242 and .246, about three times the legal limit. She was then charged with DUI with property damage.
According to jail records, Suthard was also arrested for DUI in September of 2015, and in June of 2014.
