ST PETE BEACH, FL, (March 25, 2026) — A 56-year-old woman, Paula Poe, was critically injured in a hit-and-run crash Wednesday night on Gulf Boulevard, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded at about 9 p.m. and found Poe lying on the curb with life-threatening injuries. The vehicle involved fled southbound, leaving debris behind.
Investigators later linked the debris to a 2019 Cadillac Escalade found in a Tierra Verde hotel parking lot. The driver, Margaret Barah Gardner, showed signs of impairment and performed poorly on a field sobriety test.
Gardner faces charges including DUI, refusal to submit to testing, and leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury. The investigation is ongoing.
