A Ceres police sergeant sustained minor injuries after a head-on collision with an alleged drunk driver late Monday night, according to the Ceres Police Department. The incident occurred at approximately 10:44 p.m. on November 10 in the 2300 block of Herndon Road as officers were responding to a call.
Police reported that the sergeant was stopped in the northbound turn lane when he observed a vehicle approaching from the southbound direction. The sergeant activated his emergency lights to alert the driver, but the vehicle continued into the turn lane and struck the patrol SUV head-on.
The driver, identified by police as Cynthia Rae Winkler, 64, was not injured in the crash. Officers arriving at the scene detected signs of intoxication and administered field sobriety tests. “Field sobriety tests gave officers probable cause to believe she was driving under the influence,” police said.
Further investigation revealed that Winkler was on active probation for a previous DUI arrest. According to authorities, her blood-alcohol concentration was found to be nearly three times over the legal limit. Winkler was arrested and booked into Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on felony DUI charges.
The sergeant received medical treatment at the scene and was released shortly after.
Ceres police noted this is the second time in five days that a department vehicle has been hit by an impaired driver. The department urged drivers to arrange sober transportation if they plan to drink and encouraged residents to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 911.
