She Didn’t Stay at the Scene — Deputies Say She Didn’t Get Far

iSkyNews and Media March 22, 2026

By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published March 23, 2026

Woman Arrested After DUI Crash in Winter Haven, Deputies Say She Walked Away from Scene

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A Winter Haven woman is facing charges after deputies say she crashed her SUV into a tree and fence early Thursday morning, then tried to walk away from the scene.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened around 2:35 a.m. on March 19 along Eloise Loop Road near Eloise Oaks Drive.

A witness reported seeing a 2023 Kia Sportage slam into a tree and a nearby fence. Moments later, the driver got out and ran off on foot.

When deputies arrived, they didn’t have to search far. They found the woman walking along the roadway about 1,000 feet from the crash site.

Photo Credit: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

She was identified as 33-year-old Jessica Lee Lawson of Winter Haven.

Deputies say Lawson showed clear signs of being impaired, including the smell of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech. She told deputies she had been drinking earlier, admitting to three beers and several shots of tequila.

Inside the crashed vehicle, deputies also found an empty bottle of Don Julio Blanco tequila.

Lawson was asked to perform field sobriety exercises but did not perform well, according to investigators. She was taken into custody and brought to the Sheriff’s Processing Center, where breath tests showed results of 0.19 and 0.18 — more than twice Florida’s legal limit.

She is now charged with DUI over .15 and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is reminding drivers that impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of crashes, and urges everyone to make safe choices before getting behind the wheel.

Photo Credit: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Source: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

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