Select Page
Christopher Allen Garner

Christopher Allen Garner

A Santa Rosa County man faces a half dozen charges in connection with what started as a hit and run traffic accident in Destin Saturday night. 35-year old Christopher Allen Garner of Pace is charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, reckless driving, DUI (3rd offense within 10 years), refusal to submit to chemical test (2nd offense), driving with a license suspended or revoked, resisting arrest without violence.

Witnesses say Garner was coming out of a parking lot near 104 Highway 98 around 7:20 p.m. April 4th when he accelerated recklessly, lost control of his truck, went up onto the sidewalk at AJ’s Oyster Bar, and hit a car stopped at the exit. Damage to the car was estimated at approximately $4000. No one was hurt. Garner kept going across a break in the median and drove eastbound in the westbound lane before careening across Highway 98 and hitting the side of the building housing Scuba Tech at 301 Highway 98. Damage to the building is estimated at $5000. Garner then reversed and took off onto Mountain Drive but lost control of the truck again due to the front right tire being disabled. He ran into a ditch, destroyed shrubbery and knocked over a tree on Mountain Drive, causing approximately $1000 damage there. Witnesses chased after the truck and prevented Garner from running from the scene. He was taken to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center after complaining of an injury. Deputies found an open bottle of Skinny Girl vodka inside the truck. Garner refused to provide a blood sample but deputies say his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, he slurred his words, and there was a strong odor of alcohol. While being treated at the hospital and while a deputy was getting paperwork, Garner ran out of the hospital but was quickly taken back into custody.

###