Driver accused of passing out drunk with open alcohol on Alico Road

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

A man was found and accused of being passed out drunk behind the wheel of his car on Alico Road and Three Oaks Parkway in Lee County, with an open cup of alcohol allegedly next to him, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers reported that the man, identified and arrested as Jorge Eduardo Garcia-Osinaga, was not only drunk but also accused of still drinking, as they found an alcoholic beverage in the cupholder.

The trooper noticed a vehicle sitting through an entire traffic light cycle, including a green light, without moving.

Troopers approached the vehicle and discovered Garcia-Osinaga, the driver, unconscious behind the wheel while the car remained in the travel lane.

“To prevent a dangerous situation, we position our patrol cars and kind of pin the vehicle in before trying to wake the driver,” said Lt. Greg Bueno with the Florida Highway Patrol. “The tendency in those situations, especially if the driver is impaired, is that they’ll wake up and try to drive off.”

Troopers blocked the vehicle from the front and rear before attempting to wake the driver. When the driver regained consciousness, he is accused of attempting to flee, according to FHP.

Troopers were able to remove the driver from the vehicle and conducted a DUI investigation. Investigators determined the driver was accused of being impaired and took him into custody.

His vehicle was towed from the scene. No injuries were reported.

Bueno highlighted the gravity of such incidents, stating, "We have over 3,000 deaths on a road every single year. And choices, bad choices like this or a causation of a lot of those."

Arthur Sanders, a Fort Myers resident, expressed disbelief at the situation, saying, "You're not buzzed. You're blitzed. No reason to be driving like that. It's crazy."

Rory Dunn, another resident, described the scene, saying, "If a cop can pull in front of you and you don't notice, you probably shouldn't be driving at the time. I just saw two cop cars parked in front of this other car and just thought, I thought the traffic lights were broken or something, but it was just another drunk guy."

With incidents like these posing a danger to others, troopers are reminding drivers to drive sober or face the consequences.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.