Crestwood woman cuts off emergency-responding fire truck twice

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A Crestwood woman faces several charges after cut off an emergency-responding fire truck two times while under the influence of alcohol, according to the Oldham County Sheriff’s Department.

The Oldham County Sheriff’s Office charged Dara Cvinar, 48, of Crestwood, with failure to give right-of-way to an emergency vehicle, reckless driving, first-degree wanton endangerment and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

According to a report from Officer Fitzner, Cvinar pulled out of East Crystal Drive, directly into the path of a fire truck on southbound Highway 53.

“[The truck] was responding to an emergency call with its lights, siren and air horn blasting,” Fitzner said in a report. “The fire truck had to slam hard on its brakes and steer from almost a very bad collision. The fire truck may have made contact with her vehicle as she has some damage on her car that possibly matches the truck.”

Police said when the emergency responders tried to use the left lane to keep moving, Cvinar pulled in front of them again instead of using the right shoulder.

Fitzner activated his lights in an attempt to pull Cvinar over, but she continued to change lanes.

“It took several feet and me turning on my siren and changing siren tones several times for her to finally pull over,” the report reads. “Upon contact I could smell very strong odor of alcohol coming from her breath. She had slurred speech and her eyes were blood shot.”

Fitzner’s report said Cvinar told him that she “did not see the fire truck,” and she “has a really bad drinking problem and needs help with it.”

According to the report, police administered the Horizontal Nystagmus Test and the Preliminary Breath Test, which gave an alcohol presence of .328. Cvinar was then taken to Baptist Health La Grange for a blood test.