Two Melbourne police officers injured in crash by alleged drunk-driver Thursday

Finch Walker, Florida Today
·2 min read

A Palm Bay man was charged with driving under the influence Thursday night after driving into the path of a Melbourne police SUV and injuring two officers, according to police reports.

Melbourne police officers Tyler Davenport and Nathaniel Brandel were driving west on Palm Bay Road east of Monterey Drive in Palm Bay just after 8:15 p.m. when Yamil Crespo Rivera, 24, made a U-turn into their path, causing a crash, according to an arrest affidavit.

Palm Bay police discovered Crespo Rivera unconscious behind the wheel of his Black Honda four-door, with officers and Palm Bay firefighters noting he smelled of alcohol. As he was removed from the vehicle by fire rescue, he was “groggy and lethargic,” the affidavit said.

Davenport, Brandel and Crespo Rivera were transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center. Both Melbourne officers were released from the hospital as of Friday morning, according to Melbourne police, though it was not immediately known if they would be required to take time off work due to their injuries.

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At the hospital, the smell of alcohol was still present on Crespo Rivera, the affidavit said. As he spoke to police, his speech was slurred, he displayed confusion and his eyes were red and glassy. Police administered two field tests – the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, which tests the movement of a person’s eyes, and a finger count – during which Crespo Rivera displayed signs of intoxication, including difficulty recalling information.

He agreed to submit a blood test, the results of which are pending.

Crespo Rivera was charged with driving under the influence. He was discharged from the hospital and booked into Brevard County Jail.

Though police did not give specifics regarding the injuries suffered by all three men during the crash, the affidavit said the crash caused “significant property damage” to both vehicles.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Two Melbourne police officers injured in crash by drunk driver Thursday night