A 43-year-old man was arrested Friday on a charge of DUI manslaughter stemming from a two-vehicle crash in January, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

Trevor M., 43, was arrested by U.S. marshals at a home in the 3500 block of Bowden Circle East in Jacksonville.

Deputies said Trevor was responsible for the fatal crash, which happened just after 6 p.m. Jan. 27. Deputies said Trevor’s 2004 Chevy Trailblazer crossed a double yellow line on a dark stretch of County Road 210, and struck a 2000 Ford Explorer head-on killing the driver, 39-year-old David D., of Atlantic Beach.

At the time of the crash, alcohol was suspected as a factor in the crash, but toxicology results showed no alcohol in Trevor’s system, deputies said. However, a large amount of narcotics was found in his system, deputies said.

After an extensive investigation spanning 10 months, the lead investigator Deputy J.D. McGinnis was able to obtain an arrest warrant for Trevor on the DUI manslaughter charge, deputies said.

The investigation was a first for the St. Johns County Traffic Unit in that the source of the impairment was a narcotic, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said this form of impairment is not unique and is on the rise as many prescription drugs impair people’s ability to drive a vehicle.

Trevor was booked into the Duval County Jail awaiting extradition to St. Johns County with bail set at $150,000.

RIP David

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A Jacksonville woman wants her driver’s license back after being arrested for DUI because the Jacksonville Beach cop who initially pulled her over was out of his jurisdiction and did not have the authority to stop her, a lawsuit says.

The off-duty officer saw Oksana P. swerve through lanes and nearly hit another car while driving May 22 on Beach Boulevard at Suni Pines Boulevard, the suit says.

The officer pulled her over and then called in the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, who arrested her for DUI, a misdemeanor charge.

Since Oksana declined to take a breath test, and her license was suspended for one year, according to the DMV.

However, Oksana attorney said officers are only supposed to stop a car when they feel a felony is taking place. He has filed a lawsuit in his client’s behalf to challenge her driving suspension.

According to an officer with the Sheriff’s Office, though, the DMV could say Oksana’s driving was putting the safety of others in jeopardy and might have thereby committed a felony had the officer not pulled her over.

Her lawyer said he could not further elaborate on the details of his client’s criminal trial or civil dispute with the DMV.

He did say his objective in the lawsuit is for his client to get her driving privileges back, not for any possible monetary award.

Oksana pleaded not guilty in her criminal case in June and is awaiting trial.

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A Navy sailor who was convicted of driving drunk over 100 mph when he ran a red light and hit a car, killing its 19-year-old female driver, was sentenced Friday to 11 years in prison.

Robert T., 20, pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter in August for the November 2010 accident that killed Jacksonville resident Maida S.

Maida was southbound on St. Johns Bluff Road at Atlantic Boulevard about 12:40 a.m. on Nov. 14, 2010, when Robert’s westbound GMC sports-utility vehicle struck her car. Maida’s car rotated counter-clockwise until it came to a rest in the westbound lanes.

Both drivers were taken to Shands Jacksonville hospital, where Maida died about 30 hours after the crash. The Florida Highway Patrol listed Robert’s injuries as limited.

Both were wearing seat belts.

Robert was speeding with a blood alcohol content of .20, according to the State Attorney’s Office.

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Abel H., spokesman for Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown, faces DUI charges in Bradford County, jail records show.

He has been put on administrative leave from City Hall, Brown’s chief of staff, Chris Hand, said in a written statement.

Hand declined any further comment.

Abel, 38, was arrested Saturday by police from Hampton, a small community near U.S. 301, according to a jail website.

He had attended the University of Florida Gators football game in Gainesville Saturday evening.

Abel was booked about 11:30 p.m. Saturday on a charge of driving under the influence and was released Sunday, the jail website said.

He declined to talk to a reporter Monday night, citing advice of his lawyer.

Abel is a former banker, blogger and Times-Union columnist, who became Brown’s communications director when the mayor took office July 1.

Online court records from Duval, Clay, Nassau, St. Johns and Putnam counties don’t reflect any prior arrests.

If you’ve also been charged with DUI, don’t panic. Instead, contact a Jacksonville DUI attorney at Musca Law for a free legal consultation. We’ve helped many people like you avoid being convicted.

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The Jacksonville police officer who crashed into an 18-year-old last week, now charged and arrested on multiple charges including DUI.

The Florida Highway Patrol concluded their investigation on Thursday. The crash happened on August 24th near County Road 210.

Officer Michael R. is being charged with DUI, driving on the opposite side of the road, property damage while DUI, and for having an open container of alcohol.

The 18-year-old man he crashed into was not severely injured; both were transported to the hospital at the time for minor injuries.

The reason the officer was not arrested at the scene was because of those injuries. You can refuse a field sobriety test in order to receive treatment, but he also refused blood work after he was treated.

After the crash, Michael was placed on desk duty with his police powers completely suspended. According to an email sent by JSO public information officer Melissa Bujeda, he was informed at that time of JSO’s intent to fire him.

Friday morning, Michael tendered his resignation to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, effective immediately.

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While handing out awards at a ceremony Thursday to various officers and staff, Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford talked about how proud he is of their accomplishments, but he also addressed how he was disappointed to have to talk about a case that is negatively affecting the Sheriff’s Office’s reputation.

“When this agency has employees who do not follow polices and procedures or the law, that they will be held accountable,” Rutherford said.

Officer Michael R. has not been arrested, but the Florida Highway Patrol says he was drinking and then drove his police cruiser home from work and crashed into another car early Wednesday.

The Sheriff’s Office said late Thursday afternoon that Michael has been assigned to desk duty effective immediately while the investigation continues.

State troopers said Michael was driving westbound on Greenbriar Road near county Road 210 in St. Johns County when he crossed the center line and struck an eastbound 2007 Ford Mustang head on about 2 a.m.

The Mustang then lost control and spun around. Both Michael and the driver of the Mustang, 18-year-old Joshua Carter, were hospitalized with minor injuries.

Troopers said there is evidence that beer was spilled in the officer’s car. They said they smelled alcohol on his breath.

At the hospital, troopers said, Michael refused a blood-alcohol test. He was treated and released, and so far, has not been arrested or charged with DUI.

Rutherford said he will need to look into whether the situation was handled correctly, even though FHP is the agency investigating.

“I don’t know what his condition was at the scene. That is up to FHP,” Rutherford said. “What I can tell you is you don’t necessarily have to make an arrest that night. An arrest could follow later. I don’t know. We are not investigating it.”

While FHP is investigating the crash, the Sheriff’s Office is also conducting its own investigation.

Michael’s record shows involvement with several traffic accidents over the years, including two earlier this year, but the Sheriff’s Office says the details of those accidents are no longer available.

Michael was also investigated for an in-house violation of the Sheriff’s Office’s drug policy. The sheriff said he can’t talk about that.

Documents Channel 4 obtained Thursday show Michael was accused of stealing prescription drugs from a suspect. An Internal Affairs report says there was no evidence to charge him with that, but they did find he was using prescription drugs that were prescribed to his wife. That is against policy, and he was reprimanded for that, according to the report.

Michael was also reprimanded for using his take-home police cruiser for personal shopping outside the county, according to the report.

“Oh, he is not going to get special treatment,” Rutherford said. “He will be dealt with as the law requires at the proper time. It’s in FHP’s hands. I am sure they will do the right thing.”

The sheriff did say that if the investigation proves Michael was drunk, he’ll be fired.

“Three things I terminate for first time, every time is departure from the truth, driving a city vehicle DUI and convicted for domestic violence,” Rutherford said. “If you commit any of those as a law enforcement officer or employee of this department, you will be fired first time, every time.”

I could never understand why law enforcement would ever get special treatment in a case like this. Shouldn’t, if anything, we be more harsh on people who are expected to hold up the law?

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A 22-year old Florida woman is facing several charges after an alleged early morning drunk driving crash.

Keara D. was northbound on Pine Forest Road in a 2002 Dodge Caravan when she apparently passed out while making a turn onto 9½ Mile Road about 3:20 a.m. Thursday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. She collided with a 2002 Chrysler stopped at a stop sign. The driver of that Chrysler, 32-year old Larry S. of Pensacola, was not injured.

Keara was transported to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries.

The Florida Highway Patrol charged Keara with driving under the influence, careless driving and no proof of insurance. She was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $250.

Keara’s blood alcohol level was .125, according to the FHP.

In order to avoid being charged with DUI, you need to avoid doing things like this. However, if you are charged with DUI, you still have the option of fighting the allegation against you. To discuss this, contact our Jacksonville DUI attorneys today for a free phone consultation.

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A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office internal affairs report on an incident at a Jacksonville police training academy involving a former officer earlier this year was released Thursday.

The Jan. 20 incident involving Ronald J. led the Sheriff’s Office to increase security at the courthouse for a judge who he’d had an exchange with in 2008. Ronald at no time made any threats toward the judge that day, according to the report.

He had a mental health crisis, and was eventually examined under the Baker Act, according to the report.

The whole episode started when Ronald was asked to complete a physical ability test form by Officer Tanya Fowler, according to the report. He spouted off that his private parts hurt, and he wasn’t going to do it, according to the report.

A sergeant told Ronald to get out of the classroom, and he left the academy and called the Sheriff’s Office to say he was going to “blow his brains out,” according to the report.

He also apparently sent some text messages to some officers that were construed as threats to return to the academy, where he would get Fowler and then kill himself, according to the report.

The academy was placed on lockdown, and officers there for training were told to go get their guns from their cars, while other officers were stationed around the building, according to the report.

Only one officer was able to produce a text message for internal affairs that said, “I am gonna end it all,” according to the report.

Ronald was eventually located, and the lockdown ended.

Ronald spoke to internal affairs April 14 and admitted several profanity-laced comments, but said he was “joking around with others in the classroom,” according to the report.

Ronald denied he threatened anyone other than himself and explained that “he had an anxiety attack, and snapped,” according to the report.

Internal affairs sustained complaints against Ronald for failure to obey orders and unbecoming conduct.

Ronald was fired recently for an unrelated incident.

The former DUI officer was arrested last week on a DUI charge.

In January, the lawyer for a man named Chester H., who had been previously arrested by Ronald on a DUI charge, showed Channel 4 surveillance video of what he said was Jackson punching Chester in the face while he was in handcuffs in December 2009.

Jackson was eventually cleared in a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office internal investigation.

Facing DUI charges of your own? If so, don’t waste anytime contacting a Jacksonville DUI defense lawyer at our firm. We’ve helped many people avoid being convicted of DUI and avoid losing their license.

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A former cop, who used to charged people with DUI in Jacksonville, has been charged with DUI, reports news4jax.

Police said Ronald J. he was driving erratically Friday night in Riverside and struck a fence and several cars on Ernest Street. Ronald is charged with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.

Police said an officer spotted Ronald parked in the middle of a travel lane. When the officer drove up, Ronald drove off and was eventually pulled over.

The officer wrote in a police report that during the traffic stop, “I could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. I contacted the dispatcher and called for the DUI unit. While waiting for the DUI unit, the driver asked me if I was going to arrest him for DUI. I asked him, ‘Why? Have you been drinking?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’”

Ronald refused a breath test, according to the report.

In January, Ronald was involved in an altercation at a Jacksonville police training academy. Police said he stormed out of the academy and apparently made threats against a judge and a lawyer. The judge was given extra security at the courthouse until Ronald was taken into protective custody.

Three days later, after Channel 4 aired the story, the lawyer for Chester Hall, who had been previously arrested by Ronald on a DUI charge, contacted Channel 4 and showed surveillance video of what he said was Ronald punching Hall in the face while he was in handcuffs in December 2009.

Ronald was eventually cleared in a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office internal investigation.

If you’ve too been charged with DUI in Jacksonville, there’s a very good chance you could avoid losing your license and avoid being convicted. To discuss these matters, contact a Jacksonville DUI attorney at our firm today.

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Two judges, a state representative, the president of Lake-Sumter Community College and other prominent figures are listed as witnesses for civic leader Bruce Duncan, who is accused of causing a fatal accident while driving drunk.

They will likely attest to his character during a sentencing hearing next month because Duncan, 48, a former assistant public defender and assistant county attorney known for his charitable and civic works, does not plan to fight the DUI/manslaughter charge.

Duncan, president of Family Dynamics Inc., which is an agricultural and development company in Leesburg, was driving home from a Florida Gators football game on Oct. 17, 2009, when he turned his pickup into the path of a motorcycle, killing its rider, Herbert “Steve” Muller, 61, a retired postal worker from Mount Dora. Muller was returning from a day ride to Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach. The crash occurred near Duncan’s home in Sorrento.

Duncan, whose great-grandfather, Henry Holcomb Duncan, was a lawmaker credited with the legislation that carved Lake County from land in Orange and Sumter counties, is free on bond.

The 20-person defense list includes circuit judges G. Richard Singeltary and T. Michael Johnson, who worked with Duncan at the public defender’s office; Rep. H. Marlene O’Toole, R-Lady Lake; Dr. Charles Mojock, president of Lake-Sumter Community College; Bud Beucher, director of Mission Inn Resorts in Howey-in-the-Hills; Pete Wahl, director of community projects at The Villages of Lake Sumter Inc.; John Drury, city administrator of Tavares; Jim Judge, executive director of Lake EMS; and Jon Cherry, the executive director of LifeStream Behavioral Center, which serves children and adults who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse. Duncan was a member of LifeStream’s volunteer board of directors until the crash.

At a recent pretrial hearing, defense lawyers Michael Graves and John Spivey told Circuit Judge Michael Takac that Duncan would plead “open” to the manslaughter charge because they could not reach a plea agreement with the state attorney’s office.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers found a half-empty bottle of vodka in an ice chest in Duncan’s truck, and an analysis of his blood, which was drawn at the crash scene, measured his blood-alcohol content at 0.16 percent — double the state threshold at which a motorist is presumed to be impaired.

By not fighting the charge, Duncan would plead either guilty or no contest, acknowledging the facts of the case as presented by the state attorney. The judge would then find him guilty.

If Duncan follows that route, his lawyers would present testimony to show the offense was “an isolated incident for which [Duncan] has shown remorse” and ask the judge to impose a sentence more lenient than state sentencing guidelines.

Duncan’s witnesses, would have the opportunity to speak about his character, his good works and the remorse he has demonstrated.

Assistant State Attorney Sue Purdy said prosecutors want the judge to follow state guidelines, which, in Duncan’s case, recommend a prison term of between 91/2 and 15 years.

This is ridiculous, if you ask me. If the man did the crime, he should face the same treatment as any citizen. If good morals and work call for lessened penalties, then write the laws accordingly.

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