A 31-year-old doctor is facing serious charges after a fatal crash he is believed to have caused. The Florida-based podiatrist is charged with DUI after the death of a 64-year-old man. His bond was set at $150,000, and he is forbidden from drinking alcohol or driving before his trial date. He has also been required to surrender his passport.
According to accounts from Florida police, the man was headed southbound on Interstate 95 back in February when his vehicle struck a construction worker in a marked site. Prosecutors say he failed to slow down when the vehicle in front of him did to avoid the construction area. As a result, his vehicle struck the vehicle ahead of him, sending both cars into the construction zone. His car continued on to strike an unmanned forklift before striking a 64-year-old construction worker, smashing him into a pickup truck.
The worker was taken to a local hospital where he later died. The driver is said to have had a blood alcohol level of over three times the legal limit of .08 BAC. It is unknown whether he remains in police custody at this time, and no trial date has been announced.
The DUI charge has already caused Barry University to review his upcoming tenure as a temporary instructor for the fall semester, which illustrates how impactful such a charge can be, even if he is not found guilty. This is why his defense team will carefully review all evidence gathered by Florida police at the scene, including the outcome of any breath or blood tests that were administered. While the burden of proof rests with the prosecution, it will be up to his attorney to craft a compelling defense against the charges.