Woman Charged In April Alcohol-Related Crash

A driver involved in an April crash that severely injured a Clearwater man was charged Tuesday (May 31) with five DUI-related offenses.

Investigators report that Alexx Michelle Camacho, 21, of Dunedin had a blood alcohol level of .206, which is more than twice the legal limit.

The Sheriff's Major Accident Investigation Team reports that Camacho was traveling northbound on Patricia Avenue in her 1998 Hyundai Sonata during the early morning hours on April 1. She tried to beat the red light while turning west onto Beltrees Street, and crashed head-on into a northbound 1991 Dodge Spirit shortly before 4 a.m., investigators report.

Timothy Bergthold, 20, a passenger in the Dodge Spirit, received serious fractures to his face and was airlifted to Bayfront Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Camacho and the driver of the Dodge Spirit, Brandi Berarducci, 27, of Seminole, were transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Camacho was taken into custody and placed at $5,000 bond for each of two felony counts of leaving the scene of a crash with personal injury, and at $250 bond for each of the three other traffic offenses — driving under the influence, DUI with a personal injury, and DUI with property damage and serious bodily injury. 

In September 2009, Camacho appeared in Pinellas County Circuit Court on misdemeanor retail theft charges. According to court records, Camacho pled no contest and paid a $315 fine.