(January 27, 2025) — On Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 2:51 AM, an officer working for the Cape Coral Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a blue Honda at Santa Barbara Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Parkway for crossing the intersection while the traffic light was red. The officer activated emergency lights and sirens and followed the blue Honda northbound on Santa Barbara Boulevard to try to catch up to the vehicle.
The blue Honda continued to increase its speed and quickly switched lanes across the roadway multiple times without using a turn signal. The driver persisted in this driving pattern while the officer had emergency lights and sirens activated. The driver then crossed the intersection of Santa Barbara Boulevard and Nicholas Parkway at a high speed while the light was red.
The officer advised over police radio that the blue Honda was traveling northbound toward Pine Island Road. Another officer, who works as part of the Cape Coral Police Department DUI Unit, was at the intersection of Hancock Bridge Parkway and Santa Barbara Boulevard and saw the blue Honda approach the intersection. That officer estimated the vehicle to be traveling 70 miles per hour in a posted 45-mile-per-hour zone and activated emergency lights and sirens. The blue Honda cut across all northbound lanes of Santa Barbara Boulevard to travel westbound on Hancock Bridge Parkway. The officer followed the driver, later identified as Anthony Ferrara (DOB 06/27/1999), until he pulled into the parking lot of a Taco Bell on Hancock Bridge Parkway.
While speaking with officers, Ferrara had watery, bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, slurred speech, and poor balance. Ferrara refused to participate in standard field sobriety exercises and was arrested for DUI based on his driving pattern and the officers’ observations. Once Ferrara was arrested, he agreed to provide a breath sample, which had a BAC of .251%.
Anthony Ferrara (DOB 06/27/1999) was taken to the Lee County Jail on the following charges:
–1 count in violation of 319.193(1)(b), Driving Under the Influence
–1 count in violation of 316.1935(2), Fleeing and Eluding Police with lights and siren activated
Arrested: Anthony Ferrara (DOB 06/27/1999)