APD: Investigation determined that 6-year-old on a bicycle rode into the vehicle driven by woman later charged with DUI

Press release from Alachua Police Department

ALACHUA, Fla. – On April 7, 2023, at 5:29 p.m., Officers with the Alachua Police Department responded to NW 134th Terrace and NW 151st Place for a vehicle accident involving a 6-year-old juvenile on a bicycle.

When officers arrived on the scene, they immediately began to evaluate the juvenile and determined that he was conscious, alert, and answering questions appropriately. The juvenile sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his face and head and was transported to UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital by Alachua County Fire Rescue.

As officers were on the scene, a crowd of onlookers and witnesses began to form, at which point several of the bystanders became upset over the situation and began to voice their opinion. Due to the growing crowd, more officers arrived on the scene to assist with traffic and crowd control.

The investigating officer spoke with several on-scene witnesses and determined that the vehicle was traveling westbound on NW 151st Place, approached NW 134th Terrace, and came to a stop at the stop sign before proceeding to cross NW 134th Terrace. The witnesses then stated that the cyclist entered the intersection from a yard that is located at the southwest corner of the intersection and struck the side of the vehicle on the front driver’s side. The cyclist was found to have violated the right-of-way to the vehicle that had entered the intersection prior to the cyclist.

During the officer’s investigation, the driver of the vehicle, Patricia J. Baldwin, a 33-year-old resident of Alachua, displayed several signs of impairment and emitted an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person and breath. Once the traffic crash investigation was concluded, the investigating officer began a DUI investigation. Baldwin was transported to a safe location where she performed Field Sobriety Exercises. The investigating officer gained probable cause and arrested Baldwin for Florida State Statute 316.193 (1): Driving Under the Influence. Baldwin was transported to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Department of the Jail where she was requested to provide a breath sample to determine her blood alcohol level. Baldwin refused to provide a sample to officers and was charged with Florida State Statute 316.1939 (1): Refusal to Submit to Testing.

  • Glad the kid the injuries were only superficial, could have been much worse. Still, DUI doesn’t benefit anyone.

    “As officers were on the scene, a crowd of onlookers and witnesses began to form, at which point several of the bystanders became upset over the situation and began to voice their opinion. Due to the growing crowd, more officers arrived on the scene to assist with traffic and crowd control.”

    Does that imply a mob was beginning to take over?

    The degradation of society continues.

    • If the child had been injured in a shooting, there wouldn’t have been any angry mob… that would have been business as usual. Six years of age is a little young to be riding a bike around the neighborhood unsupervised. I don’t think I could even ride a bike at age six (not without training wheels).

  • >