Impaired Driver Causes Head-on Collision with Deputy

NEWS RELEASE 21-008 - FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Wittenbauer, Riannon  Head on collision

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 20-year-old Sarasota woman for Driving Under the Influence after she caused a head-on collision with a deputy along I-75 in Sarasota.

Deputies were alerted just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning to a vehicle driving northbound in the southbound lanes of State Road 681 in Venice. As deputies responded, the driver continued traveling northbound and entered the southbound lanes of I-75. A responding deputy approaching mile marker 203 in the center lane identified the driver traveling in the left lane. The deputy activated his emergency lights and slowed his patrol vehicle. The suspect then changed lanes and collided head-on with the deputy’s Tahoe. Luckily, neither the deputy nor the suspect suffered major injuries.

Riannon Wittenbauer, DOB 06/04/00, of 12551 Honore Ave. Apt. 314, is charged with Driving Under the Influence, DUI with Property Damage, and Reckless Driving. She was released Wednesday on $740 bond.