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Ambulance partially sinks into collapsed road after Halloween night DUI crash, police say

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Published  November 1, 2024 11:48pm EDT
Seminole County
FOX 35 Orlando

Ambulance partially sinks into collapsed road

An ambulance became stuck halfway into a collapsed road in Oviedo after a Halloween night crash that police say was caused by a drunk driver.

OVIEDO, Fla. - An ambulance became stuck halfway into a collapsed road in Oviedo after a Halloween night crash that police say was caused by a drunk driver.

The incident began when 32-year-old Robert William Garcia allegedly drove into three cars and struck a fire hydrant near East Mitchell Hammock Road, according to city officials. The crash broke the hydrant’s shutoff valves, flooding the street and triggering a road collapse that trapped the ambulance responding to the scene.

Local resident Julie Geary recalled hearing the crash. "I heard a woman yell, ‘Get out of the car and call 911,’" Geary said.

Another witness, Bill Holstein, described seeing water flooding down the street as city crews arrived to contain the damage. "We saw a river of water flowing and all the commotion with the city trucks trying to fix it," he said.

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Officials say one injured person and first responders had to be rescued from the ambulance, which was later towed from the site. Police reported that Garcia initially claimed someone else had hit him, but footage from a nearby parked car revealed his vehicle was responsible for the collisions.

"It was scary because my daughter is 11, and we had just returned from trick-or-treating," Geary added. "We were unloading right where it happened."

Garcia faces charges of driving under the influence and refusing DUI testing. The ambulance has been towed to the city’s maintenance facility for repairs.

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