OKEECHOBEE — After reportedly rear-ending the vehicle in front of her, a local woman was charged with DUI with property damage.

On Thursday, Jan. 21, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputies Brandon Greis and Misei Esquivel responded to the scene of the accident at approximately 4:20 p.m. Greis made contact with both drivers and said one of them, identified as 54-year-old Kimberly Stewart, was very confused. When he asked her for identification, she gave him some batteries, and when he asked again, she just handed him her purse.

When he asked her what happened, she reportedly told him she was traveling on State Road 78 West when the vehicle in front of her came to an abrupt stop, and she rear-ended it. The report notes, the airbags were not deployed and Stewart said she did not hit her head.

Stewart was reportedly unable to complete field sobriety exercises but denied consuming any alcohol or any type of medication. Okeechobee County Fire Rescue responded to the scene, but Stewart reportedly declined transport to the hospital and was cleared by EMS at the scene.

Prior to leaving the scene, dispatch notified deputies a passerby reported seeing someone throw something from the vehicle at the accident scene. A search of the area turned up a gray insulated cup “Kimberly” written in purple on it. When asked if the cup belonged to her, Stewart reportedly said it did.

When Stewart was taken to the county jail, deputies were told she could not be processed until she had been cleared by the hospital, and they transported her to Raulerson Hospital. At the hospital, a blood sample was taken and her blood alcohol reportedly tested 0.255. After she was cleared by the hospital, she was taken back to the jail.

Bond was set at $500.