A 36-year-old woman was arrested on DUI charges Saturday night after her vehicle caught fire on I-4 in Hillsborough County. 

  • Woman charged with DUI after car catches fire on I-4
  • Witnesses said woman was driving recklessly, almost hit several vehicles
  • Katherine Melendez-Vega, 36, failed FSE, charged with DUI 

Troopers said they received several calls Saturday around 8 p.m. in reference to a person driving recklessly on I-275 northbound going on to I-4 eastbound. 

The calls reported a gray Honda being driven on a flat tire, all over the road, unable to maintain a single lane, and almost colliding with several other vehicles. 

Dispatched troopers found the reported vehicle fully engulfed in flames on the I-4 eastbound exit ramp to 21st Street. 

The driver was identified as Katherine Melendez-Vega, 36. 

Troopers said a witness helped Melendez-Vega get out of the burning vehicle before they arrived on scene. 

The witness also told troopers that the woman tried to leave the scene several times to evade law enforcement. 

Melendez-Vega showed several signs of impairment and told troopers she had consumed a few beers a couple hours before. 

Melendez-Vega was arrested on DUI charges after failing the Field Sobriety Exercises and refusing to provide a breath sample. 

She was currently suspended for a prior DUI and had a prior refusal to submit to a lawful test of breath/urine/blood, according to the report.