Thursday, November 20, 2008
San Diego DUI child victim in Florida
San Diego DUI criminal defense attorneys at www.SanDiegodui.com and San Diego DUI victim lawyers at www.Sandiegoduihelp.com hear of a San Diego victim on the east coast:
An unlicensed driver jailed for leaving the scene of a fatal crash that left a toddler dead could face an added charge of DUI manslaughter after traces of cocaine were discovered in his blood.
Kenneth D. Edwards, 41, of Leesburg was arrested shortly after the Aug. 9 wreck in Fruitland Park and jailed on felony charges of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash involving a death and driving without a license.
A toxicology analysis by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement concluded that traces of cocaine were in Edwards' blood at the time of the crash at County Road 466A and Twin Palms Road.
Florida Highway Patrol homicide investigator Sam Kight said he had suspected that Edwards might have been under the influence of drugs when the Buick he was driving plowed through a lawn and hit 3-year-old Zachary Foster.
The boy was visiting his maternal grandparents, John and Marlene Gladis, whose home sits on a corner lot.
Zachary was playing with toy cars in his grandparents' yard when he was struck in front of his horrified parents, Amy and Charles Foster of El Cajon, California. They had come from their home in suburban San Diego for a vacation to reacquaint Zachary with his grandparents and to introduce him to manatees, alligators and other treasures of Florida.
Edwards was driving a car he had borrowed from a friend. Witnesses said he got out of the car, looked at the boy, then hopped back in and drove away. He was arrested at a friend's house about a mile away.
Kight's suspicion was piqued partly by Edwards' past, he said.
A habitual felony offender, Edwards was released from prison in October 2007 after a five-year stint for dealing cocaine.
The presence of cocaine in Edwards' blood does not necessarily prove he was under the influence of the drug, but it could help prosecutors pursue a DUI manslaughter charge, which carries tougher penalties than vehicular homicide.
DUI Prosecutors would need an expert to try to prove impairment.
Contact a DUI Lawyer who can help:
http://www.google.com
An unlicensed driver jailed for leaving the scene of a fatal crash that left a toddler dead could face an added charge of DUI manslaughter after traces of cocaine were discovered in his blood.
Kenneth D. Edwards, 41, of Leesburg was arrested shortly after the Aug. 9 wreck in Fruitland Park and jailed on felony charges of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash involving a death and driving without a license.
A toxicology analysis by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement concluded that traces of cocaine were in Edwards' blood at the time of the crash at County Road 466A and Twin Palms Road.
Florida Highway Patrol homicide investigator Sam Kight said he had suspected that Edwards might have been under the influence of drugs when the Buick he was driving plowed through a lawn and hit 3-year-old Zachary Foster.
The boy was visiting his maternal grandparents, John and Marlene Gladis, whose home sits on a corner lot.
Zachary was playing with toy cars in his grandparents' yard when he was struck in front of his horrified parents, Amy and Charles Foster of El Cajon, California. They had come from their home in suburban San Diego for a vacation to reacquaint Zachary with his grandparents and to introduce him to manatees, alligators and other treasures of Florida.
Edwards was driving a car he had borrowed from a friend. Witnesses said he got out of the car, looked at the boy, then hopped back in and drove away. He was arrested at a friend's house about a mile away.
Kight's suspicion was piqued partly by Edwards' past, he said.
A habitual felony offender, Edwards was released from prison in October 2007 after a five-year stint for dealing cocaine.
The presence of cocaine in Edwards' blood does not necessarily prove he was under the influence of the drug, but it could help prosecutors pursue a DUI manslaughter charge, which carries tougher penalties than vehicular homicide.
DUI Prosecutors would need an expert to try to prove impairment.
Contact a DUI Lawyer who can help:
http://www.google.com
# posted by SanDiegoDUI @ 8:35 AM 
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