In Florida, a driver commits the offense of DUI manslaughter when they are in actual, physical control of a vehicle, is intoxicated under Florida law, and causes the death of another person. Actual physical control refers to the driver being inside the vehicle, or in the case of a motorcycle, have the capability to operate the vehicle. It does not matter if the person is actually operating the vehicle at the time.
The penalties for DUI manslaughter in Florida are severe. It is a second-degree felony under Florida law. Under Florida law, if convicted, a judge must impose a mandatory sentence of 124 ½ months in prison. The term may be as many as fifteen years in prison and fifteen years of probation.
The Florida Times-Union reports that a Jacksonville woman has been charged in a 2019 fatal DUI crash.
36-year-old Kristal Ann LeClerc was arrested on July 2nd and has been charged with DUI manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, DUI with property damage, and driving with a license that was suspended.
The charges stem from an accident that occurred at about 11:40 p.m. on February 8, 2019.
35-year-old Richard Allen Wilson, Jr., was walking on the shoulder of North Main Street at Kirk Road. He was hit by a dark blue Ford F-150 according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The impact threw Wilson across the road. The truck swerved and fled the scene.
Police discovered the truck abandoned on a nearby street. Surveillance video of the truck from a nearby gas station. DNA evidence collected from the truck linked it to the victim.
Witnesses told investigators that LeClerc was seen leaving a bar in Oceanway that night.
Based on the evidence, a warrant was issued for LeClerc’s arrest.
The Risk of Being Hit by a Car in Plantation It seems like every time you turn on the news, there is another story of someone getting hit by a car in South Florida. Just this week, a couple in their eighties were struck and killed by a car in Fort Myers, and two University of Miami students were struck and killed while crossing the...
Pedestrian loses life in five-vehicle collision A multi-vehicle crash occurred, killing a pedestrian who behaved as a good Samaritan. The tragic collision occurred in Cantonment, Florida, on, January 10, 2017, just prior to 6 p.m. on U.S. 29 and Hazzard Lane. A Toyota XB and a Jeep Cherokee were going in the northern direction, and nearing Hazzard Lane in the outer...
Statistics Reveal Florida Pedestrian Accidents Among Kids a Major Issue With over 60,000 serious injuries and nearly 4,000 deaths each year, pedestrian accidents are occurring at an alarming rate. What’s even more shocking is the rate at which these accidents are affecting younger populations. In order to understand the causes of pedestrian accidents and how to prevent them, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)...
University of Central Florida to implement pedestrian safety plan The Orange County Board of Commissioners has approved a $5 million plan to improve pedestrian and bike safety on the major roads serving the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus. The plan includes the building and improving of mid-block crosswalks, sidewalks and bike paths in order to make their use safer and more appealing to...
How Do Pedestrians Seek Compensation for Injuries If Hit by a Car In Florida? There are several ways pedestrians can seek compensation for their injuries if hit by a car in Florida. If you were the victim of this type of accident, you might be able to file a claim with your own no-fault insurance, with the at-fault driver’s no-fault insurance, or with the motorist’s auto liability policy. If...
Fort Lauderdale Pedestrian Accident Statistics Not everyone gets around Fort Lauderdale by car, and even drivers become pedestrians when they use sidewalks and crosswalks to get to their destinations, such as the park, a beach, or a downtown festival, after parking somewhere nearby. Unfortunately, year after year, Fort Lauderdale consistently ranks among the deadliest cities in Florida and the United...
