A 26-year-old driver escaped with only minor injuries Saturday night after her car ran off Maitland Avenue, smashed through a guardrail and fence, and sank into a lake near Lake Shore Drive. She was later charged with driving under the influence at the hospital where she was taken for treatment.
The crash happened just after 8:30 p.m. as the woman, identified as Qualana Pickard according to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, was traveling southbound on Maitland Avenue, according to FOX 35 Orlando. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that her vehicle left the roadway, continued beyond the fence line, and entered the lake next to the road. Pickard managed to escape the sinking car and swim to safety before being transported to AdventHealth Altamonte Springs for treatment of minor injuries.
Once she arrived at the hospital, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office arrested her on DUI charges, according to FHP. The report provides no further details about the arrest. Florida Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash.
How She Got Out of a Sinking Car
Escaping a submerged vehicle is a race against time. Vehicle submersion research evaluated by AAA indicates that occupants typically have less than 60 seconds to self-extricate before water pressure locks the doors shut, making it critical to open or break a window immediately after entry. Pickard escaped the sinking car and swam to safety.
The wreck also snarled traffic in the area, as crews used a tow truck to pull the submerged car from the water, blocking the roadway during the recovery. If convicted, Pickard could face consequences under Florida Statute § 316.193(3)(c)1, which classifies DUI resulting in property damage or non-serious injury as a first-degree misdemeanor. According to Hanlon Law, that charge carries penalties of up to one year in jail, fines up to $1,000, and a driver's license suspension of up to six months.
A Corridor Already Flagged for Crashes
Maitland Avenue is the corridor discussed below. The corridor isn't a stranger to collisions. A multimodal transportation study for downtown Maitland examined crash data along Maitland Avenue between Orlando Avenue and Sandspur Road from 2018 to 2022 and recorded 138 total crashes along that stretch, including one fatal collision, as reported by WKMG.
The article also places the crash in a broader traffic-safety context.
Part of a Broader Pattern in Seminole County
The article focuses on an impaired-driving case in Seminole County. The available account does not specify where Pickard was held after her arrest.
Regional planning data from MetroPlan Orlando reviewed this year found that total crashes across Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties fell 15.1% between 2018 and 2024, even as regional roadway safety remains a focus. Florida Highway Patrol has not released additional details on the status of its investigation into Saturday's crash.
