19-year-old accused of DUI and fleeing after crash into mailbox in Lee County

Neighbors in a Lee County community were awakened Monday morning when a 19-year-old was arrested for reportedly driving under the influence, crashing into a mailbox and attempting to flee the scene. Emily Baron, who lives near the arrest site, said her husband described the scene outside their home. "He saw several cop cars. There were a fire truck and an ambulance all right in front of our house," Baron said. The incident occurred on Twin Palm Drive, where Lee County deputies say Nicholas Bloomston, 19, struck a mailbox while he was accused of driving under the influence. "We took a walk down the street, and we ended up finding the mailbox pretty far down the road," Baron said. Baron noted that while such incidents are rare, this wasn’t the first time a mailbox had been hit in the neighborhood. "We've had people hit mailboxes on golf carts. Actually, our mailbox was hit by a golf cart, but it was in the middle of the day, so — it's typically a very safe neighborhood," she said. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Bloomston reportedly attempted to flee the scene but was stopped by a K-9 unit. Neighbor Lauren DiVico said such events are uncommon in the area. "It doesn't happen often. Especially in this neighborhood. Everyone's lived here for, like, 30 years," DiVico said. She added that incidents like this are preventable. "Be safe next time. Don't drink too much and drive," DiVico said. 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.