FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A 54-year-old man arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after crashing into a building in Palm Coast died early Friday after being booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies responding Thursday morning to a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Corporate Drive North and Palm Coast Parkway found the driver, identified as Vadim Valenteychik of Palm Coast, told them he had driven over a curb into bushes and struck the building, the sheriff’s office said.
Recommended Videos
Deputies detected a strong odor of alcohol on Valenteychik’s breath and turned the traffic crash investigation into a DUI probe. They began field sobriety tests but stopped for safety after he struggled to stand, swayed and stumbled. Deputies found a large beer can on the driver’s-side floorboard, the sheriff’s office said.
Valenteychik was arrested on charges of DUI and DUI with property damage and was cited for possession of an open alcohol container. He was taken to a local hospital for medical clearance, where two breath tests recorded blood alcohol concentrations of 0.325 percent and 0.340 percent — both more than four times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
After being cleared more than six hours later, Valenteychik was transported to the detention facility, booked and placed in a single-person cell. Deputies conducted regular checks through the night and shortly after 6 a.m. Friday, a detention deputy found him unresponsive. Deputies and facility medical staff began lifesaving measures, including use of an automated external defibrillator, while waiting for Flagler County Fire Rescue, which later pronounced him dead, the sheriff’s office said.
Sheriff Rick Staly requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the death. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said it will conduct an internal review after the FDLE investigation and that a clinical medical review is underway.
Court and detention services chief Dan Engert said research shows blood alcohol levels between 0.30 percent and 0.35 percent carry an extremely high risk of coma or death.
“Losing a loved one is never easy, especially so unexpectedly. We extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time,” Engert said.
Valenteychik had a prior conviction for DUI in 2015 that resulted in a six-month suspension of his driver’s license, the sheriff’s office said.