INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A witness helped track down a suspect in a DUI hit-and-run accident on Saturday evening, leading to the Vero Beach man’s arrest, according to the arrest report.
Samuel Similien, 33, of 275 13th Pl., Vero Beach, now faces misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended driver’s license with knowledge.
Authorities responded to a two-vehicle accident in the area of 53rd Street and 58th Avenue on Saturday evening to find nothing but debris where the accident was reported.
Witnesses called in the collision, and a civilian followed one of the vehicles involved. The witness reported the driver was swerving, crossing into oncoming traffic and nearly struck a telephone pole before coming to a stop.
The civilian reported the driver’s new location and law enforcement arrived in the 3500 block of 38th Avenue to conduct an investigation, according to the arrest report.
Authorities noted a strong odor of alcohol on Similien’s breath when they arrived on scene. He later failed to complete a number of field sobriety exercises conducted in the Indian River County Jail’s DUI room.
Due to the second vehicle involved in the accident leaving the scene, a crash report was not completed, the arrest report notes.
Similien is being held in the Indian River County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bond.
