MAN DROVE OVER MAILBOXES DRUNK

AN ENGLEWOOD MAN’S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE LEGAL LIMIT WHEN HE DROVE HIS PICKUP TRUCK OVER SEVERAL MAILBOXES IN HIS ROBERTA DRIVE NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THE WEEKEND.  THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS 69 YEAR OLD EDWARD BAUMGARTNER WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A BLACK NISSAN TRUCK SUNDAY AFTERNOON WHEN THE VEHICLE PLOWED OVER FOUR MAILBOXES, AND A WITNESS SAID BAUMGARTNER ALSO RAN OVER TWO BICYCLES THAT WERE LYING IN A NEARBY YARD.  HE ALSO STRUCK AND DAMAGED A STOP SIGN BEFORE COMING TO REST IN SOME BUSHES NEAR THE CORNER OF ROBERTA DRIVE AND BOND STREET.  CHARLOTTE COUNTY DEPUTIES WERE THE FIRST TO RESPOND AND THEY TOLD TROOPERS THAT BAUMGARTNER WAS TRYING TO MOVE THE TRUCK OUT OF THE BUSHES WHEN THEY ARRIVED.  AN INJURED PASSENGER WAS FOUND HIDING IN THE BUSHES AND WAS TAKEN TO FAWCETT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.  THEIR NAME WAS NOT RELEASED.  TROOPERS ALLEGEDLY DETECTED A STRONG ODOR OF ALCOHOL COMING FROM BAUMGARTNER.  HE WAS GIVEN FOUR BREATH TESTS WHICH ALL CAME BACK AT .18 OR HIGHER.  BAUMGARTNER WAS CHARGED WITH SEVEN COUNTS OF DUI WITH PROPERTY DAMAGE AND ONE COUNT OF DUI WITH INJURY.  HE WAS RELEASED LATER SUNDAY AFTER POSTING AN EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND.