Lee County man accused of crashing into ditch with blood alcohol level three times legal limit

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office and other departments responded to a crash Sunday off San Carlos Boulevard in Iona, where a car was found in a ditch. Bob Mayes, who works in the area, said he noticed the driver had a strange look when he got out of the car. “I thought maybe he had too much to drink,” Mayes said. Deputies identified the driver as Victor Pelaez, who reportedly admitted to drinking a “12-pack” before getting behind the wheel. His blood alcohol level was measured at .299, more than three times the legal limit, according to the report. “299? Maybe he had a whole lot to drink,” Mayes said. Deputies said Pelaez was accused of backing out across San Carlos Boulevard, hitting a power pole, and landing in the ditch. Tire marks were visible in the grass, and debris from the crash remained scattered around a stop sign and a yellow fire hydrant that deputies said Pelaez damaged. “I just couldn’t figure out how he hit that stop sign and wound up over here,” Mayes said. Even roughly five hours after the crash, the arrest report stated that Pelaez’s breath test at the jail registered a blood alcohol level of .198. “There’s genuinely no excuse in this day and age to be drinking behind the wheel with Uber and Lyft,” said Fort Myers resident Kalyssa Kennelly. Mayes added that this is not the first time a car has ended up in the ditch. Deputies also said Pelaez was accused of driving without a valid license. He was arrested on several charges and taken to the Lee County Jail. 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.