WINK Digital Team
•6/22/2026
ESTERO, Fla. (WINK)— A Collier County Sheriff's Office deputy helped prevent a potentially dangerous situation in Lee County after spotting an unconscious driver in a running van stopped in a travel lane on Tamiami Trail South near Estero Parkway.
According to the Collier County Sheriff's Office, the deputy was traveling through Lee County around 3 a.m. on June 6 when she saw a white van stopped in a southbound travel lane with no hazard lights on. Concerned for the driver's safety and the danger posed to others on the roadway, she positioned her marked patrol vehicle behind the van and called dispatch.
When Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies and Lee County Fire/EMS personnel arrived, responders approached the vehicle together and found the driver unconscious behind the wheel of the running van, which was not in park. The driver was also holding an open beer can in his hand.
As responders worked to safely wake the driver and prevent the vehicle from moving, Fire/EMS personnel placed wooden blocks behind the tires while the Collier deputy deployed stop sticks in front of the vehicle. The situation quickly changed when the driver woke up and accelerated forward, driving over the blocks and sticks before crashing into a road sign and guardrail.
Lee County deputies safely took the driver into custody.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office said the incident is a reminder that strong partnerships and quick action help keep communities safe.
