St. Augustine Police are investigating a multivehicle crash in the parking lot of Bayfront Inn Saturday morning,
Officers arrested an alleged drunk driver, Stephen Nelson, after they said he crashed his vehicle into six parked vehicles at the hotel, pushing a red car into the side of the building around 4 a.m.
“It kind of sounded like a bomb went off, screeching, a loud crash, everyone was jostled up like what’s going on,” Hotel guest Kevin Nardone said.
PHOTOS: Damage from Bayfront Inn DUI crash
Nardone was staying at the hotel with his groomsmen on the night before his wedding. He said they all woke up to the sound of the crash and rushed outside to check on their cars, one of which was found damaged.
“I heard a bunch of screeching and banging, it was really loud,” Nardone’s friend Ross Sacharow said. “So I ran downstairs and at the time, what I saw was a bunch of these cars were sideways.”
St. Augustine Police confirmed Stephen Nelson is the alleged drunk driver who crashed into several parked cars and the Bayfront Inn Saturday morning. Thankfully no one was hurt. Nelson has since been charged with a DUI. Story next on @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/gytFGAlvh4
— Elizabeth Pace (@PaceAnJax) February 16, 2019
Police responded to the crash around 4 a.m. Saturday. Action News Jax requested the crash and arrest reports, however, police said those records would not be available until Monday.
Witnesses told Action News Jax reporter Elizabeth Pace the driver of a gray truck crashed into multiple parked vehicles, pushing a red car into a hotel room on the first floor near the main lobby.
The property manager gave several pictures to Action News Jax, showing damage to the vehicles, parking lot, cement wall and building.
“It sounded like a bomb went off, screeching, a loud crash."
— Elizabeth Pace (@PaceAnJax) February 16, 2019
A man & his groomsmen staying at the hotel the night before his wedding woke up to the crash. They say one of their cars were hit by the alleged drunk driver. Police say 7 were involved in the crash. @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/YO4FZqfun0
Sacharow said he saw an officer drag Nelson from the truck and Nelson appeared “extremely” drunk.
“He was hammered, really drunk,” Sacharow said. “He was stumbling, couldn’t use proper words. But it wasn’t until the police officer came over and dragged him out of the car.”
The property manager gave me these pictures to show the damage to the hotel, vehicles and parking lot. She says the alleged drunk driver was not a guest at their hotel. pic.twitter.com/ynbArl2qaz
— Elizabeth Pace (@PaceAnJax) February 16, 2019
Police said no one was hurt during the crash.
St. Johns County jail records show Nelson has been charged with Driving While Intoxicated and property damage.
Cox Media Group
