VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A 3-year-old boy is recovering after being struck by a Jeep on a beach Saturday afternoon, Volusia Sheriff's Office authorities said.
According to officials, deputies responded around 4:14 p.m. near the University Boulevard beach parking area. Witnesses reported the child ran from the ocean into traffic and darted in front of the Jeep, which hit him at low speed.
The boy was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center as a trauma alert and later discharged with injuries that did not require surgery.
Reports suggest that the driver, 36-year-old Brock Winkler of Lakeland, remained at the scene. While investigators determined the child entered the traffic lane, witnesses said Winkler had been drinking, and photos showed empty beer cans nearby.
Deputies state that after a DUI investigation and field sobriety exercises, deputies charged Winkler with DUI involving serious bodily injury. He also faces an additional charge for refusing a breath test.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Source: This story was written based on information provided by the Volusia Sheriff's Office on April 26, 2026.