Cape Coral man accused of DUI with child in vehicle in North Naples

Witnesses and medics found a Cape Coral man under the influence of drugs and unresponsive with a child in his car Monday in North Naples, authorities said.

Drivers found Anthony Mendez, 32, unresponsive at the wheel near Tarpon Bay Boulevard and Immokalee Road about 7:30 p.m. Monday, according to a Collier County Sheriff's Office. He was arrested on suspicion of child neglect.

Witnesses called 911, and an off-duty firefighter treated Mendez at the scene before deputies and emergency medics arrived, the report states. Mendez had a pulse but was hardly breathing, according to the report.

When Mendez came to, he became combative with first responders and needed to be subdued, officials said.

A woman told authorities she was stopped behind Mendez's vehicle at the traffic light and said it appeared he was sleeping in the car. The woman tried to wake him but couldn't, the report states.

The off-duty firefighter pulled his car over when he saw the woman pounding on Mendez's driver-side window.

The firefighter told officials that when he saw Mendez slumped over the steering wheel, he went into the car to put the transmission in park and pulled the man from the vehicle in case he needed CPR, the report states. Mendez regained consciousness shortly afterward and was taken to NCH North Naples Hospital.

Another witness took the child out of the car, the report states. The child's age and sex were redacted from the report.

Officials said they saw several items of drug paraphernalia in the car, including a syringe, brillo pads, a pipe, a spoon with a piece of cotton and residue, and five Xanax pills, the report states.

Mendez faces a felony charge of child neglect and misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and violating driver license restrictions. His license was restricted to business purposes only because of several previous convictions of driving with a suspended license, the report states.

The man will not face drug-related charges because state law says a person can't be prosecuted for drug possession if evidence of the possession was obtained as a result of an overdose requiring medical attention.