Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) apprehended a motorist who was caught driving in the wrong direction on the Howard Frankland Bridge, specifically northbound in the southbound lanes of I-275. The incident occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2023.
Numerous reports flooded the Tampa Bay Regional Communication Center, alerting them to the presence of a driver heading the wrong way on Interstate-275. The identified individual is Jennifer Joyal, a 36-year-old resident of St. Petersburg. Joyal was behind the wheel of her 2013 Jeep when she entered the southbound lanes of I-275 at Mile Marker 34.
Upon arrival at the scene, troopers immediately noticed signs of impairment in Joyal. Her eyes were bloodshot and watery, and her balance seemed compromised. Additionally, a strong scent of alcohol emanated from her person, growing stronger as she spoke.
Video as released by the FHP
Initially, Joyal consented to participate in standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs). However, after the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test, she abruptly refused to continue the evaluation. Furthermore, she declined to provide a breath sample for testing purposes.
As a result of her actions, Joyal was taken into custody and subsequently booked into the Pinellas County Jail on charges of Driving Under the Influence.
This is Joyal’s second DUI arrest. She was convicted for the first time in February 2015.