Clearwater Police and Clearwater Fire & Rescue responded to a crash involving a bicyclist on Court Street at S Lincoln Avenue, just east of Missouri Avenue, at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
The preliminary information indicated that a 16-year-old male bicyclist was struck and sustained potentially life-threatening injuries. He was transported to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg for further treatment.
According to the arrest affidavit released on October 25, 2025, 66-year-old Clearwater resident Colette Pizzarella was driving the vehicle that struck the bicyclist, who had the right of way. The bicyclist sustained serious injuries and was transported to a trauma center for advanced medical treatment.
During the investigation, officers observed that Pizzarella exhibited clear signs of impairment, including bloodshot, watery eyes; extremely constricted pupils; and unsteady balance. A horizontal gaze nystagmus evaluation indicated two out of six clues, and both eyes failed to converge during testing.
According to Clearwater police, Pizzarella voluntarily participated in standardized field sobriety exercises, all of which she performed poorly. Due to her cooperative demeanor and involvement in the crash, she was transported to a hospital for medical evaluation. A lawful blood sample was obtained as part of the DUI investigation.
Subsequent analysis by the Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory detected delta-9 carboxy THC and methadone, a narcotic analgesic, in her system at the time of the crash.
She was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on October 23, 2025, on charges of DUI Causing Serious Bodily Injury. She was released on bond on October 24, 2025.
The bicyclist was discharged from the hospital and is recovering at home.