Man Sentenced to 10.5 Years for DUI Manslaughter

A 33-year-old man of Fruitland Park has been sentenced to 10 1/2 years in prison for DUI manslaughter.

The man was found guilty in mid-November of DUI manslaughter in a 2013 single-vehicle crash that killed his passenger and best friend, a 31-year-old Lady Lake man.

His sentencing hearing took place Thursday at the Lake County courthouse.

According to the Lake Clerk of the Courts website, he must serve at least four years of the sentence, and his driver’s license is permanently revoked.

He faced up to 15 years in prison.

The crash took place on Aug. 16, 2013. According to the accused, the two men had just left a bar after celebrating his friend’s birthday. At some point, the man allegedly lost control of the Ford SUV, and the vehicle overturned on County Road 452, pinning and killing the friend.

Police said the man smelled of alcohol.

Troopers testified that when they went to administer a blood test, the man told them he’d had a medical condition since childhood that made him sick or causes him to black out at the sight of blood.

The man apparently could not provide the name of the medical condition to Florida Highway Patrol troopers at the crash scene.

When a DUI crash results in death, the charge becomes enhanced to DUI manslaughter. Make no mistake, this is an extremely serious felony DUI charge. If convicted, you could possibly be sentenced to many years behind bars. If you or a family member is facing a DUI manslaughter charge in The Villages, or the surrounding areas, it is best to contact a Villages Felony DUI Lawyer at Whittel & Melton for aggressive representation.

If you are facing a DUI involving serious bodily injury or death, the sooner you hire a criminal defense attorney, the better. Anything you say to police or prosecutors can, and will, be used against you. A Villages DUI Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton can stay by your side and make statements on your behalf that protect your rights and interests. Regardless of whether you have talked to police yet, we can assist you with your case and start working to protect your future and freedom.

For a free consultation, please call us today at 352-369-5334 or contact us online. Our main goal is to prevent you from being convicted and incarcerated.