Drunk Driver Plows Into Daytona Infield, Leaves 4 Injured
A drunk driver plowed into Daytona International Speedway’s infield in the middle of the night Sunday, injuring four people and causing damage to six campers. The incident struck in the middle of the iconic speedway’s bike week.
The speedway is used to crashes, but usually not quite as bad or dangerous as this.
According to WFLA, at 2:15 a.m. Cocoa Beach resident Abbie Kinney, 43, drove her Toyota pickup truck at about 40 mph into the infield, where dedicated fans often camp out. The four people she injured were transported to the hospital; police would not release their conditions. The damage caused to the six trailers was also left undisclosed.
Both the driver and observers agree she was in no condition to drive.
Drunk driver hits six cars, injures four at Daytona International Speedway https://t.co/wGzAK3C17E pic.twitter.com/dhra6QjMUE
— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) March 7, 2016
Field sobriety tests revealed that Kinney was over twice the legal blood-alcohol limit. She allegedly told officers “I shouldn’t have been driving” and said she had had about three beers.
One witness named Nick told ABC13, “I just think it’s crazy dude.”
“She hit this one camper up there and then she kept on going and then she hit another camper and busted right up into it.”
The Daytona Speedway hosted several events over the weekend and is scheduled to continue its bike week until the 12th. Nick described the drunk driver’s condition after rampaging through the fans.
![Camping in the infield is a tradition for devoted racing fans. Here people have set up in the Daytona Speedway for the Coke Zero 400. [Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/GettyImages-451739676-670x446.jpg)
“She was trashed at first, she didn’t know where she was at. She came out of the truck, she was stumbling, she didn’t know where she was at.”
The witness also claims to have seen one person get hit.
“This dude came flying, he landed right over here by this truck here.”
The drunk driver has been charged with DUI causing injury and careless driving, along with several counts of property damage for the campers.
The Daytona International Speedway is famous for the Daytona 500 NASCAR race, which was held on February 21st this year and won by Denny Hamlin.
![The Daytona 500 is the speedway's premier event, but it stays active throughout the year. Unfortunately for people camping in the infield, the racetrack can attract some reckless people. [Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/GettyImages-511620434-670x409.jpg)
“From the its humble beginnings on the beach to its first race on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, the DAYTONA 200 has always been about showcasing the best in sportsbikes. Now, in 2016, there has been no better stage for such a showcase than the world’s first motorsports stadium.”
Hopefully for the fans, the drunk driver won’t completely ruin the week. The crash was unusual, not only in that the driver ironically sped into a place known for speed, but also because she admitted to drinking after being read her Miranda rights.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, it’s not the first case of a confessant drunk driver. One man declared “I’m drunk bro” after driving straight from the bar into oncoming traffic. Patrons reportedly tried to stop the intoxicated man, but once his determination became clear, one customer decided to film.
That story, and the video, can be found here.
As for the drunk driver hurting people in the Daytona Speedway, Kinney was released on a $5,000 bail.
[Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR]
