Recent DUI News in Florida

Broward DUI Lawyer William Moore follows the latest drunk driving news stories around the state. A few of recent newsworthy cases have caught his attention.

A Longwood, Florida man was convicted last month of three DUI manslaughter charges. Carlos Ortiz attempted to pass another vehicle by using the emergency lane, but smashed into another vehicle parked on the highway near Viera at about 11:40 in the morning on July 1, 2007. A young couple, Jacqueline Dieppa, 33, Alexis Rodriguez, also 33, and their two-year-old son Nayib Suarez, were killed in the accident. Ortiz was sentenced to three life terms in prison, one for each of their deaths. Before Ortiz’s vehicle crashed, three different motorists had contacted police regarding his unsafe driving, including speeding and passing in the emergency lane. Crispy, the family dog, also died as a result of the accident. The family had parked to wait for relatives they planned to meet at the beach.

According to law enforcement officials, the family was killed instantly in the crash, when Ortiz’s car hit theirs at 77 miles per hour. Prosecutors say his blood alcohol concentration was 0.176 percent, more than twice the level at which Florida law presumes a driver is impaired. The State Attorney’s Office argued that Ortiz should receive the life sentences due in part to his prior convictions for two armed robberies, although one of those occurred when he was a juvenile.

Another high-profile DUI manslaughter case came out of Gainesville this week. Amanda Boyd, who is 23, has been charged with DUI manslaughter following a fatal accident on September 21, 2008. Investigators allege that Boyd’s truck went over the curb, crashing hard into another car at the intersection. The woman driving the other vehicle, Betty Ruth Hinson, was 74 years old. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on University Avenue. Hinson was on her way to pick up a friend so that they could attend an evening church service.

Fort Lauderdale DUI Lawyer William Moore says that investigators determined that Boyd’s truck was going 54 miles per hour at the time of the impact, although Boyd was traveling faster prior to hitting the brakes to avoid the collision. A blood test revealed that Boyd’s BAC was .210 thirty minutes after the accident. Boyd told law enforcement officials that she had consumed just one beer before driving. A trial date has not yet been set in the DUI manslaughter case.

Fort Lauderdale DUI attorney William Moore provides outstanding DUI defense in Broward, Fort Lauderdale, and Fort Lauderdale-Dade Counties. If you have been charged with a DUI, contact Fort Lauderdale DUI Lawyer William Moore, P.A.

This article should be used for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice nor as implied representation of any person.

Article contributed by Mallory Shipman, Esq.