CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Clearwater man faces 14 criminal charges following a string of crashes he left behind on U.S. 19 Tuesday morning, police say.
Jason Mizerski, 52, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Tuesday evening. Clearwater Police investigators say that Mizerski was behind the wheel of a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado when he caused four different crashes, before leaving the scene.
The first crash was reported near Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard at about 10:40 a.m. The driver fled the scene and then was involved in another crash between Gulf-to-Bay and Drew Street, where he then fled again. He struck another car south of State Road 590, left the scene and was then involved in another crash north of State Road 590. He tried to leave the scene of that one, too, according to police.
Mizerski was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg after initially being found unresponsive in his 2011 Chevrolet Silverado. Traffic homicide investigators suspect he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crashes.
Suggested: How Florida law allows drunk drivers to get behind the wheel again and again
According to police, his license had already been permanently revoked for too many DUI arrests. He's had three such arrests in 2018 alone.
Mizerski was charged with multiple counts, including four counts of felony DUI with property damage, two counts of felony leaving the scene of a crash, two counts of misdemeanor leaving the scene of a crash, felony violation of DUI probation and felony driving with license suspended or revoked.
Two people in the vehicles he struck were taken to local hospitals, the extent of their injuries is unknown.
Mizerski remained in jail on Tuesday night.