Tampa Man Charged with DUI After Death of Pedestrian
A 23-year-old Tampa man is facing DUI charges after he struck and killed a pedestrian walking on the Adamo Drive roadway in Tampa. Police were sent to the scene after the pedestrian was struck by a pickup truck on Adamo Drive. Although first responders attempted to administer life-saving procedures, the pedestrian later died of his injuries. The driver of the pickup truck was arrested for DUI.
At 2:50 a.m., the 23-year-old defendant was driving a 2015 Chevrolet pickup east on Adamo Drive. At the same time, a 24-year-old pedestrian was walking in the roadway on Adamo Drive but not at an intersection or a crosswalk. The pickup truck struck the pedestrian, propelling him through the air. CPR was performed by responding officers and Tampa Fire Rescue transported the victim to a nearby hospital. The man, however, did not survive the crash.
According to police, the pickup’s airbag was deployed during the accident. The vehicle also sustained heavy damage to the front end. This suggests that the driver may have been speeding at the time of the crash. The truck has since been impounded to be processed for evidence.
The driver of the truck was evaluated by officers and placed under arrest for DUI. The investigation remains active and additional charges could be pending. Depending on the results of the investigation, the driver could be facing a DUI manslaughter charge for the death of the pedestrian.
Analyzing a potential DUI manslaughter charge
The driver in this crash has yet to be charged with DUI manslaughter for the death of the pedestrian. In order to support a DUI manslaughter charge, the police will need substantial evidence that the accident with the pedestrian was the fault of the driver. In this case, that remains unclear. It’s not enough for a prosecutor to say that a driver was drunk and then someone died. The prosecutor must also prove that the driver’s negligence or failure to operate the vehicle properly resulted in another person’s death.
In the case mentioned above, the pedestrian was in the roadway, but not at a crosswalk. It’s possible that the pedestrian is partly at fault for this accident. Of course, prosecutors will attempt to establish that the driver was speeding at the time of the pedestrian’s death. This would be enough to establish that the driver is responsible for DUI manslaughter.
If the driver is convicted of DUI manslaughter, he faces a mandatory minimum of 4 years in state prison. So the stakes are quite high and the charge seems likely. Nonetheless, prosecutors will have to establish causation to make a DUI manslaughter charge stick.
Talk to an Orlando DUI Lawyer Today
The Florida DUI lawyers at FL DUI Group represent the interests of those facing DUI charges in the Orlando area. Call our office today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
Source:
westorlandonews.com/dui-arrest-made-in-adamo-drive-traffic-fatality/
