DUI pursuit ends in crash

Pursuit of a driver under the influence of alcohol resulted in a crash in the East County late Monday night.

A Manatee County Sheriff's Office report states a deputy observed a vehicle driven by Michelle Haddad run a red light at State Road 70 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard around 11:22 p.m. Monday. The vehicle was heading east at about 65 miles per hour.

The deputy attempted to catch up to the vehicle, at which time he observed it swerve over three lanes and also run another red light, at S.R. 70 and Lorraine Road.

The deputy then tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle sped up and continued to swerve.

Pursuit speeds never exceeded 80 mph, but the vehicle drove off the road into the grass and continued eastbound for about three-tenths of a mile, before driving into a ditch and rolling onto its roof in the 1700 block of State Road 70.

Haddad was transported to Blake Medical Center because she was upgraded to a trauma patient because of her injuries.

At 1:15 a.m., the hospital notified the sheriff's office that Haddad was in stable condition.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].