Woman charged with DUI after crashing into police car

A 26-year-old Bradenton woman was arrested on driving under the influence charges early Saturday morning in Winter Haven.

Jessica Marghel Baker was booked into the Polk County Jail and released after posting bond. She is also facing one count of failure to maintain a designated lane causing a crash.

Baker struck a Winter Haven Police Department cruiser parked on Lake Silver Dr. and kept going until her vehicle gave out from damage suffered in the collision.

According to a Winter Haven Police Department report the incident occurred just before 1 a.m. The officer whose cruiser was damaged was investigating a disturbance at the time and was not injured.

Investigators say Baker was traveling north along Lake Silver Dr. when she veered outside of her lane and struck the cruiser from behind. The suspect continued to drive for about a ¼-mile before her car could not continue.

When officers approached her Baker allegedly told them that she did not hit anything. She stated she stopped because of a problem with her vehicle's steering.

Baker was going to call someone to fix it for her the report states. She did not require medical treatment and was transported to the jail without incident.

A search of court records in Manatee County indicates Baker's driver's license has been suspended twice since 2010.