Sanibel resident Marcel Ventura contacted police Sunday, Jan. 12, to report someone drove a vehicle into his yard and crashed into his residence overnight on Pine Tree Drive. A neighbor, who noticed damage to his vehicle, identified his son, Jeffrey Dickson, as the possible hit-and-run driver.
Evidence suggested a westbound vehicle veered left into Ventura’s front yard and lightly sideswiped the northwest corner of the residence, breaking off approximately three pieces of siding. Damage to a flowerbed suggested the vehicle then likely turned right before it backed up and sideswiped some shrubbery. The vehicle traveled over a second flowerbed and a metal bar stabilizing a tree before leaving the yard.
Dickson told police he was at a friend’s house and consumed three to four alcoholic beverages of unknown strength the night of the accident. He drove home around 3 a.m. and became lost on the unlit and heavily overgrown gravel road. Dickson also stated he did not remember driving into a yard or striking a house before making it home.
Ventura told police Dickson’s father offered to pay for the damage to his property and that the issue would be worked out civilly. Damage was estimated at less than $500.
Four-Vehicle Crash Closes Periwinkle
Rols Gourdet, 20, Lehigh Acres, was traveling west on Periwinkle Way at 3:32 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, when a vehicle operated by Marion Diener, 70, Manorville, N.Y., pulled out from Martha’s Lane and collided with his vehicle. Diener’s vehicle spun 180 degrees and struck eastbound vehicles operated by Loretta Miller, 67, Bethpage, Tenn., and Joseph Kelley, 56, Newton Square, Penn.
The crash closed Periwinkle Way for approximately 25 minutes. Lee County Emergency Medical Services transported four individuals to Healthpark Medical Center, Fort Myers, for evaluation and treatment of unknown injuries.
Citations Issued in Minor Crash
Heidi Klein, 62, Fort Myers, was traveling in stop-and-go traffic on Periwinkle Way at 10:43 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, when the back of her vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Amber Edwards, 23, North Fort Myers. Edwards was cited for careless driving and driving with a suspended license unknowingly.
Other Minor Crashes Reported
Bobby Houchins was stopped on Palm Ridge Road to make a left turn onto Periwinkle Way at 2:41 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, when the back of his vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Lourdy Jean Baptiste, 34, Fort Myers.
Mary Wells, 80, Hoschton, Ga., was traveling south on Tarpon Bay Road at 12:59 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, when she stopped at the intersection of West Gulf Drive and the back of her vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Richard Jackson, 71, Fort Myers.
Julien Tirado, 20, Naples, Fla., was traveling south on Causeway Road near the C span bridge at 8:40 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, when he slowed for traffic and the back of his vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Richard Lewis, 36, Alva, Fla.
Dennis Anderson, 29, Cape Coral, was traveling east on Periwinkle Way at 2:16 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, when he stopped for traffic and the back of his vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Gregory Demaras, 55, Fort Myers.
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