In a rather odd factual scenario, a driver convicted of DUI manslaughter in Tampa FL is suing the victim, claiming the victim has caused him pain and suffering. On Christmas Eve 2007, David Belniak was traveling 70-90 MPH when he rear ended a vehicle operated by the victim, Ray McWilliams. Rather than go to trial, Belniak agreed to a plea deal and was sentenced to 12 years in Florida State Prison where he resides today. In a recent court filing, Belniak served the estate of McWilliams with a civil suit trying to recoup money, apparently for pain and suffering and other medical bills.…
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Recent Posts in DUI Fatalities CategoryNovember 5, 2010
Tampa DUI News – Jury Finds Man Guilty Of Lesser Charge Following Tampa DUI Manslaughter TrialThis Tampa man was facing DUI manslaughter charges in a Hillsborough County courtroom. He was convicted of a lesser charge of DUI. October 7, 2010
Tampa DUI News – Tampa DUI Lawyer Tells TBO.com Plea Expected In Fatal DUI CrashesThis Tampa man is likely going to enter a plea to his Tampa DUI charges. The Hillsborough County judge in his case wants to make sure the DUI penalties fit the crime. September 8, 2010
Tampa DUI News – Eight Months After Deadly DUI Car Crash Riverview Man Charged DUI ManslaughterEight months after a deadly crash, a Tampa man has been arrested on DUI charges. The Riverview resident was charged with DUI manslaughter for driving drunk the night of the accident. August 31, 2010
Tampa DUI News – Man Given A Life Sentence For A Tampa DUI Fatality Argues For New DUI PenaltyA Tampa man is asking for a new DUI sentence. He received a DUI penalty of life in prison in a Tampa court room in 2003. August 18, 2010
Tampa DUI News – Father Of Young Girl Nearly Killed By In A Drunk Driving Accident Arrested For Second DUI
The father of a young Tampa girl who nearly lost her life in a drunk driving accident has been arrest for a second DUI, this time in Texas. Summer Moll was nearly killed in a head-on accident with a drunk driver that took the life of her mother. Apparently that wasn’t enough of a lesson for her estranged father who was arrested in Tampa for DUI and now has been arrested in Texas for a DWI. According to investigators and reported by My Fox Tampa Bay, Josh Moll was charged with DUI in Tampa but jumped bail and ended up in Texas.… July 21, 2010
Tampa DUI News – Tampa Woman Violates Her DUI Probation, Sentenced To Six Years In PrisonThis Tampa woman was sent to jail for DUI manslaughter and served less than a year. She was arrested again on DUI charges in Pinellas County. June 22, 2010
Tampa DUI News– Woman Who Served A Year For DUI Manslaughter Arrested For Second DUIAfter receiving one year in jail for a DUI accident that took the life of a 15-year-old girl, this Tampa woman has been arrested on a second DUI charge. She was sentenced as a youthful offender the first time but if convicted of a second DUI her DUI sentence will be much more severe. May 19, 2010
Tampa DUI Penalties – Hillsborough Man Sentenced To Five Years In Prison Following Fatal DUI CrashA Tampa man found out his sentence today for a fatal accident in 2008. The DUI penalties Justin Jones faces were determined in a plea agreement. May 6, 2010
Tampa DUI News – DUI Manslaughter Sentence Handed Down In Tampa CourtroomA Tampa man was sentenced to five years in prison today for a Hillsborough DUI manslaughter charge. The Tampa DUI took place following a Buccaneers game. April 21, 2010
Tampa DUI News – Hillsborough County Students Get A Lesson In The Dangers Of Drunk DrivingWith prom scheduled for Saturday, Tampa’s Gaither High School student body was given a close up look at DUI and the consequences of driving drunk. The lesson included a lecture by a 20-year-old who killed his brother in a DUI accident. April 1, 2010
Land O’ Lakes Trooper Honored For More Than 200 DUI ArrestsOne of Tampa Bay’s own has been honored for his work in stopping drunk driving in Tampa Bay. Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Michael J. Hollis was recognized in Tallahassee for arresting 203 people on DUI charges in Tampa Bay last year. Hollis received the Hurd-Smith Award which is named after Kimberly Hurd and Robbie Smith, both former FHP Troopers who were killed by drunk drivers. The pair died in separate incidents. Hollis is based in Land O’ Lakes located in Pasco County.ay. … March 19, 2010
Fighting Drunk Driving Gets South Tampa Bar Recognized By Hillsborough County SheriffsEarly this morning police spotted a SUV driving very slowly with its lights off. The officers suspected DUI and attempted to pull the Kia Sorento over. At that point the car stopped but as soon as officers exited their vehicle 26-year-old Eric Lee Peoples took off. The officer did not chase the car due to department policy on pursuits. They did however have the man suspected of drunk driving followed by a helicopter in the area. According to TampaBay.com, the helicopter captured Peoples driving erratically for about 15 minutes. The suspect then crashed his car into a parked van. The officers in the air called for an ambulance but before they could get there the SUV caught on fire.… March 18, 2010
DUI Manslaughter Verdict Comes Back As Guilty For Plant City ManWe were keeping our blog-eye on a Tampa DUI manslaughter trial involving a Plant City man who did not deny drinking but his Tampa Criminal Attorney argued that despite the drunk driving he was not responsible for the accident. The crash resulted in Wyman Fletcher’s untimely death. Now Jonah Kane West is looking at 15 years in prison. According to TBO.com, West’s blood-alcohol level was presented as being 0.234 during the two-day trial. That is almost three times the legal limit in Florida. The jury needed just 45 minutes to determine that West caused the rear-end collision that took place in 2008 on State Road 39.… March 17, 2010
Tampa DUI Manslaughter Trial Underway In Hillsborough CourtThe State of Florida presented its first witness Wednesday in the DUI manslaughter trial of Jonah Kane West. The drunk driving accident he is accused of causing killed Wyman Fletcher who the state alleges was run off the road by the drunk driver. West’s blood-alcohol level was 0.234 on the night of the accident. According to a story on TBO.com, one of West’s Tampa Defense Attorneys did not challenge the fact that West was drunk at the time of the accident. They are however claiming the 32-year-old did not cause the accident or the man’s death. The defense lawyers plan to call an expert on accident reconstruction to prove their point.… March 9, 2010
Tampa DUI Lawyer Fighting To Help DUI Manslaughter Inmate Get A Second ChanceA former federal corrections officer is seeking to have his Florida DUI manslaughter conviction set aside due to mistakes made by his lawyer during his trial. Purdie Burkes was sentenced to five years in prison and still has just over a year left to serve on his sentence. His Tampa DUI lawyer has filed papers with the court asking his case be reviewed. Burkes was driving in a heavy fog on the morning in which he was convicted of hitting and killing a bicyclist. He had a blood-alcohol level below the legal limit of 0.08 when he was tested via a blood draw but a prosecution expert testified that level would have been higher at the time of the crash.… February 11, 2010
Tampa DUI Lawyers Blog | DUI Attorneys in Tampa, FL Blog – Finebloom & Haenel, P.A. BlogThe September 27 crash that took the life of two Cape Coral, Florida nuns has resulted in DUI manslaughter charges being filed against a North Fort Meyers man. Michael G. Hickman has been charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter, DUI second offense or more and DUI Hickman’s blood was drawn at the hospital following the car accident but due to his injuries officer’s could not conduct a breath test. That meant Hickman was still able to drive while charges were pending.… January 28, 2010
Tampa Father Headed To Jail After Pleading Guilty To DUI ManslaughterA drunk driving case revolving around an accident that cost Vickie Colonna her life has concluded with Kevin Michael Smith pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter charges in a Tampa court. Smith will spend a year in prison and 10 years on probation. He will also lose his driver’s license permanently. According to TampaBay.com, Smith had a blood alcohol level of 0.224 when he crashed his pickup on Hillsborough Avenue. Smith was facing up to 15 years in prison but pled guilty instead of going to trial and was sentenced to 366 days in prison. He is a 36-year-old father of two and will now have to not only go to prison but make restitution in the amount of $12,000.… January 26, 2010
Hillsborough County Man With Blood-Alcohol Level Of 0.218 Charged With DUI ManslaughterA 35-year-old Hillsborough County man has been charged with DUI manslaughter according to a story on TBO.com. Paul Michael Parks has been arrested and remains in jail with no bail set. According to deputies Parks had a blood-alcohol level of 0.218 at the time of a head-on crash that killed 47-year-old Karen Weaver of Riverview. Parks was also charged with two counts of driving under the influence with property damage or personal injury. The accident that cost Weaver her life took place December 19 on Big Bend Road. Parks is accused of driving east in the westbound lane and causing the collision.… December 21, 2009
Hillsborough County Teen Sentenced To Five Years In Prison In DUI Manslaughter CaseDavid Holdsworth pled guilty earlier this month to DUI manslaughter stemming from a February 2008 accident. The 19-year-old had a blood-alcohol level of 0.136 when he was driving 40 MPH over the speed limit and crashed into another car killing the driver. Holdsworth was sentenced this past Friday by a Hillsborough County judge to five years in prison and 10 years probation following his release. He pled guilty to causing the death of 32-year-old Samuel Garcia when he lost control of his car. The Apollo Beach teen was driving 75 MPH in a 35 MPH zone at the time of the accident.… December 2, 2009
Man Who Avoided Jail On DUI Manslaughter Conviction Arrested On Another DUI ChargeDonald Hancock was convicted of killing his wife Irene in a 1997 accident that was attributed to drunk driving. The DUI manslaughter conviction could have carried a sentence of as many as 17 years but the family of the victim pleaded that Hancock get a second chance and the judge seemed to agree with a sentence that did not include jail. Now according to a story on TampaBay.com Hancock has once again been arrested and charged with driving under the influence and possibly violating his DUI probation. Police report stopping Hancock around 3:00 a.m. after he made a U-turn on a red flashing light without stopping.… December 1, 2009
Twenty-Year-Old Spring Hill Man Charged With DUI Manslaughter Following A December AccidentMitchell Vilet was charged with DUI manslaughter this week for his role in a car crash that killed Troy Schultz in December. According to TampaBay.com Vilet was arrested Wednesday night and his bail was set at $15,000. Vilet is also facing a lawsuit filed by one of Schultz’s relatives. According to the Florida Highway Patrol Vilet’s 1994 Ford crossed a paved median on U.S. 19 and entered into the path of Shultz’s 1998 Kia SUV. The accident took place at 3:30 a.m. and Vilet left the scene of the accident but he left his blood behind. FHP tracked down Vilet later at a convenience store located near the accident scene. November 30, 2009
Hillsborough County Deputy Collides With And Kills A Bicyclist Suspected Of DUIA Tampa area man riding his bicycle east of the city collided with a Hillsborough County deputy’s cruiser and has died from the injuries he suffered. According to a story on TampaBay.com, the man riding the bike was under the influence at the time he collided with the car. Jonathan Loschen reportedly rode his bicycle into the path of Deputy Michael Hannaford. Tests at the hospital showed the bike rider’s blood alcohol level was 0.27 which is three times the legal limit in Florida. Following an investigation into the crash, Hannaford will return to normal duties. If you have been charged with a DUI in Tampa or Hillsborough County, please do not hesitate to contact Tampa DUI Attorney Stephen Higgins, Esq.… November 27, 2009
Hillsborough County Sheriffs Give East Tampa Students Get An Up-Close Look At DUI CrashAbout 1,900 students at East Tampa’s King High School got an up-close and personal look at the real life dangers of drinking and driving. Luckily it was only a drill. According to TBO.com, the Hillsborough County sheriffs, with the help of some student thespians, put on a show for the high school students hoping to scare them enough to avoid drunken driving fatalities. Student’s witnessed a staged car accident with the Jaws of Life and field sobriety tests included. There were donated damaged vehicles and a death scene as well. To cap it all off a Tampa General Hospital Aeromed helicopter arrived on the scene as well.… November 24, 2009
Almost A Year After 16-Year-Old’s Death Florida Man Charged With DUI ManslaughterJust over a year ago 16-year-old Jenna Moran was driving home from her first day of junior year at Central High School in Spring Hill, Florida. She was a new driver and preferred to stay off main roads. That decision unfortunately cost the young woman her life when the Florida Highway Patrol reported she was struck by an oncoming pick-up truck. According to Hernando Today, almost a year to the day after the fatal crash, 39-year-old William Brooks, Jr. has been charged with DUI manslaughter. Brooks, already serving time in prison on a domestic-related charge of aggravated assault, has been served with a warrant for DUI manslaughter.… |
