Sanibel Police made two arrests for driving under the influence and reported eight minor vehicle crashes, with a few resulting in citations, over the past two weeks.
Caleb Melchior, 30, Fort Myers, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence the night of July 17, after an officer observed his vehicle failing to stop at the intersection of Periwinkle Way and Lindgren Boulevard.
Melchior failed field sobriety exercises and a breathalyzer test showed he was just over the legal limit. He was given a verbal warning for failing to stop at a stop sign, in addition to the DUI charge. He was released from the jail on a $750 bond the following afternoon.
A speeding driver was found to be unlicensed and under the influence of alcohol. Scott Welling, 41, of Iowa was traveling west on Sanibel Captiva Road at 2 a.m. Sunday, July 25, when an officer clocked his vehicle’s speed at 53 mph in the 35 mph zone near mile marker one.
Welling failed field sobriety exercises and a breathalyzer registered 0.03. He was charged with driving under the influence and booked into the Lee County Jail. He admitted to police that he didn’t have a driver’s license and was issued a citation. He was also given a citation for speeding. Welling was released from the jail Sunday afternoon on a $1,000 bond.
Minor Vehicle Crashes
Madison Bucceri of Winter Haven, Fla., was traveling east on West Gulf Drive at noon July 17, when an eastbound vehicle operated by Angela Thomas struck the passenger side of her vehicle. Thomas, of Fort Myers Beach, was attempting to make a left turn from a driveway in the 2700 block of West Gulf, when the crash occurred. No injuries were reported. Thomas was issued a warning for failure to yield to traffic.
Adrian Molina of Pembroke Pines, Fla., was traveling in the 2000 block of Periwinkle Way at 3:49 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, when he stopped for traffic and the back of his vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Cameron Key of Greeneville, Tenn. No injuries were reported.
Merri Snyder of Sanibel was traveling east on Periwinkle Way at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 21, when she stopped for traffic and the back of her vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by a young driver. No injuries were reported.
James Tuttle of Cincinnati, Ohio, was traveling east on Periwinkle Way in the area of Dairy Queen at 2:51 p.m. Thursday, July 22, when he stopped for traffic and the back of his vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Benjamin Cecil of Lehigh Acres, Fla.
Police responded to the Lighthouse Beach at 1:19 p.m. Friday, July 23 for a minor parking lot collision involving two vehicles operated by Travis Miller of Mount Olive, Ill., and Matthew Kelly of Strongsville, Ohio. Miller was found at fault. No other details were available.
Travis Goolsby of Kerney, Mo., was waiting in the left turn lane of Periwinkle Way at Donax Street at 7:49 p.m. Friday, July 23, when the back of his vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Gilbert Royal of Sanibel. No injuries were reported, but Lee County EMS checked over a child passenger out of precaution.
Octavious Whitus of Sanibel was at the turnaround point of the parking lot at the Sanibel Public Boat Ramp at 10:49 a.m. Saturday, July 24, when the front bumper of his vehicle was struck by a trailer hitched to a vehicle operated by Karen Eaton of Lady Lake, Fla. No injuries were reported. Eaton was found at fault.
Andrew Glinsky of Sanibel was making a right turn into the parking lot of the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation on Sanibel Captiva Road just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, when the back of his vehicle was struck by a vehicle operated by Mark Steger of Sanibel. No injuries were reported and Steger was issued a citation for careless driving.
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