A 35-year-old Pace man went on a wild through the Harbor district Saturday afternoon, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
Christopher Garner was arrested by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office on a number of charges including hit and run, reckless driving, driving under the influence (third violation within 10 years), driving with a suspended/revoked license, resisting arrest without violence and refusal to submit to a chemical or physical test (for the second time).
Garner was seen exiting a parking lot near 104 Harbor Boulevard, according to an arrest report from the OCSO, and began to travel eastbound on U.S. Hwy. 98. He “recklessly accelerated” out of the parking lot and lost control of the vehicle, the report states, before driving on the sidewalk and hitting a vehicle at the entrance of AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar.
The collision, which caused $4,000 in damages, wasn’t enough to stop Garner. He continued to drive eastbound and crossed over the median and before driving into the westbound lanes of Hwy. 98 and careening across the roadway and crashing into the side of SCUBA Tech, causing $5,000 in damages.
Garner still wasn’t done.
He reversed his vehicle and traveled northbound on Marler Street before turning east onto Mountain Drive. Garner lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a ditch along the roadway.
According to the arrest report, several witnesses chased after Garner’s vehicle and “removed” him from the car to “prevent him from leaving the scene.”
Once in custody, the report notes that Garner’s eyes were blood shot and classy and he was slurring his words. A strong odor of alcohol was emitting from the vehicle and an open bottle of Skinny Girl vodka was located inside the vehicle.
Garner was found guilty of DUI in 2007 and 2014 and his license was revoked for six moths in 2014.
While being treated at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, Garner ran out of the facility and after a short foot pursuit, he was located and taken back into custody.
Garner is scheduled for a court appearance May 5.