DAVENPORT, Fla. – A 16-year-old driver from Orange County is facing charges after deputies said he hit four other teens while trying to flee a party at a vacation home in Davenport.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, all five of the teens were at the party at a vacation rental property in the Loughman area of Davenport Wednesday night when deputies responded to home on Cypress Pointe Boulevard due to noise complaints.
Once the teens saw deputies showing up to the party, they quickly began to disperse, according to the sheriff’s office.
The four victims, who are also from Orange County, were standing at the end of a nearby driveway when the 16-year-old driver, who deputies said was intoxicated behind the wheel, hit them with his Kia Stinger, dragging a 16-year-old girl about 450 feet as he continued driving, authorities said.
[READ: ‘Our residents are afraid:’ Hundreds gather at Osceola parties to spread COVID-19, sheriff says]
Deputies said the teen driver hit a parked Jeep Cherokee and drove across multiple driveways and lawns before the girl was dislodged from the Kia.
According to the sheriff’s office, the girl suffered multiple fractures, internal injuries and losses of skin and muscle. She was flown to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando in critical condition.
The other three victims’ injuries were not considered life-threatening, according to deputies.
After the initial crash, the teen drove off and crashed his car about eight miles away on Deen Still Road, deputies said. After the wreck, the teen ran from the crash site before deputies later found him in the parking lot of an Amazon Distribution Center, according to the sheriff’s office.
While taking the driver into custody, deputies noticed signs of impairment and his breath reeked of alcohol, authorities said. Deputies said the driver blew a .121 on two samples during a breath test. The legal limit for someone of age is .08.
The teen faces felony and misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence, DUI with property damage, DUI with bodily injury, DUI with serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of a crash with bodily injury and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, according to the sheriff’s office.
Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said it’s unclear who hosted the party and that more charges could be possible as the investigation continues.
“Detectives are still working to determine who was responsible for renting the vacation home, and who invited all of the teens. Further charges are possible related to that portion of the investigation. This is one of those events that parents always fear: A mix of unsupervised teens, a house party, alcohol and a horrific result,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Deputies in Osceola County have faced trouble in connection with similar parties in their area.
For months, people, including gang members, have been hosting massive parties at vacation rental homes with the intent of spreading COVID-19, according to Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson.
Helicopter video from a party in May shows dozens of cars lining the streets in a residential community with vehicles blocking the road so people can dance and socialize in the middle of the intersection.
Gibson said his department has received more than 600 noise complaints since March and that the parties are leaving residents afraid.