Cape woman faces DUI, crash-related charges
A Cape Coral woman is facing 19 charges involving DUI, property damage, and battery on an officer stemming from a July 12 incident.
Layla Martinez, 22, was arrested Friday just after 7:30 p.m. after a traffic stop was initiated by a Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputy in the area of 400 El Dorado Parkway South. The deputy reported a driver had hit multiple vehicles and property before fleeing north on Skyline Boulevard. Cape Coral Police Department Officers eventually joined the traffic stop.
CCPD officials stated a neighbor flagged down the CCSO deputy, saying “a blue sedan crashed in a neighborhood off Pine Island Road and Skyline Boulevard, and the driver may have a medical issue.”
Once pulled over, the deputy checked the driver’s well-being, later identified as Martinez, due to heavy damage to the front of the vehicle.
CCPD officials stated, “(Martinez) was screaming and appeared to be under the influence while sitting in the driver’s seat. She had bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, poor coordination, and a strong odor of alcohol was coming from the vehicle. The car had multiple airbags deployed and appeared to have been in a crash.”
Police officials stated Martinez was asked to step out of her car due to signs of impairment and so that medics could check her out, but she refused. CCPD stated Martinez was then removed from the car, “and she began backing away from officers as if she was going to run away.”
Police said she was detained and put in the back of a patrol car, “where she was kicking and flipping her body around.”
A release from CCPD states EMS attempted to check on Martinez, but that she was “uncooperative.
“She was screaming, cursing, and spitting at officers when asked if she would participate in standardized field sobriety evaluations.”
Based on her behavior and being uncooperative, coupled with signs of being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, Martinez was placed under arrest for DUI, officials stated.
Martinez was taken to the hospital for medical clearance, where police state she “continued to be uncooperative and had to be restrained to the bed. She intentionally kicked an officer and a nurse at the hospital who was attempting to treat her. While another officer was trying to speak with Martinez and ask her questions, she spat on him.”
CCPD’s investigation alleges Martinez:
• Hit a vehicle at a home, causing $750 in damage
• Hit two city water access covers in the neighborhood, causing $700 in damage
• Hit a vehicle at another home, causing $1,000 in damage
• Struck a cement drainage pipe at that same property, causing $700 in damage
• Hit a mailbox at another home, causing $100 in damage
• Caused $1,450 in damage to four resident yards
After being medically cleared, Martinez was transported to Lee County Jail and charged with: one count of DUI, seven counts of DUI property damage, seven counts of hit and run/leaving the scene of a crash involving damage to property, two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, one count of battery on a registered nurse, and one count of resisting an officer without violence.
Martinez was bailed out on a $14,500 bond Sunday evening.