A Zephyrhills mom has been arrested and charged with DUI and child neglect after she reportedly crashed her SUV, with two children inside the vehicle, and delayed to report the crash to the authorities.
Cecilia Yvonne Tapia, 25, is facing a DUI charge, two counts of DUI and damage to property and two counts of neglect to a child without great bodily harm.
Florida Highway Patrol says they received a call at 7:34 p.m. on Tuesday regarding a crash with injuries on Brisk Drive, east of Lado Drive. The crash had reportedly happened at approximately 5:30 p.m. When officers arrived on scene they noticed that the airbags were deployed and they saw blood inside of the SUV but there was no one to be found.
There was an open six pack of Bud Light Platinum left in the vehicle, FHP says.
According to the police report, two children were injured in the crash and taken to the hospital by their father.
Homeowners in the area told police that Tapia told them that she had called 911 and approximately two hours later, a concerned neighbor called 911 and was told that the crash had not been reported.
Tapia reportedly drove through five separate mailboxes and hit a dumpster on Brisk Drive. The family members on scene told police that they had assumed that the crash had been reported and they were told to have the vehicle towed by a friend of the family.
FHP says when they got to the hospital and spoke with Tapia, she had injuries consistent with the drivers airbag of the vehicle. She performed poorly when she was asked to do a field sobriety test.
Tapia was arrested and is being held on $12,500 bond.
