Browns WR Stallworth hits, kills Fla. pedestrian

[JBean]

MIAMI (AP)—Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth hit and killed a pedestrian with his Bentley on Saturday morning on a busy causeway linking Miami and Miami Beach, police said.

Stallworth was headed toward the beach when he hit Mario Reyes, 59, around 7 a.m., said Miami Beach police spokesman Juan Sanchez. Reyes was taken to a nearby trauma center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later. He was near a crosswalk but it’s not clear if he was crossing legally.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

[FACE-IT]

Originally Posted by JBean

MIAMI (AP)—Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth hit and killed a pedestrian with his Bentley on Saturday morning on a busy causeway linking Miami and Miami Beach, police said.

Stallworth was headed toward the beach when he hit Mario Reyes, 59, around 7 a.m., said Miami Beach police spokesman Juan Sanchez. Reyes was taken to a nearby trauma center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later. He was near a crosswalk but it’s not clear if he was crossing legally.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

Sad....

[daisy7]

Donte' Stallworth says he flashed his lights before pedestrian hit
Miami Beach police released 911 tapes of the fatal crash involving Donte' Stallworth.

Miami Beach police on Tuesday revealed additional details of the fatal crash involving Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth, saying the football player told police at the scene that he flashed the high-beam lights on his Bentley to warn a man crossing the street.

Police also released a series of 911 calls in connection with the March 14 crash, which killed Mario Reyes, 59.

http://www.miamiherald.com/486/story/966134.html

[fran]

Ok, I don't get it. Why didn't he put his foot on his brake rather than hitting his high beam?

That makes no sense.


JMHO
fran

[daisy7]

Originally Posted by fran

Ok, I don't get it. Why didn't he put his foot on his brake rather than hitting his high beam?

That makes no sense.


JMHO
fran

Yep, plus at 7:00am, it would have been daylight - I think.

I used to live on South Beach and drove this Causeway in my daily commute to work. I'm also puzzled about where he was coming from, cuz he was coming from Downtown Miami headed toward the beach.

He didn't make it far - Terminal Road is the first or 2nd street off the Causeway from Downtown Miami.

[daisy7]

NFL's Donte' Stallworth to turn self in, face manslaughter charge
Pro football player Donte' Stallworth is expected to turn himself in and face a charge of DUI manslaughter in connection with the death of a man last month in Miami Beach.

Miami-Dade prosecutors on Wednesday charged Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth with DUI manslaughter, alleging the football player was driving drunk last month when he struck and killed a pedestrian in Miami Beach.

Blood tests revealed Stallworth had a blood alcohol level of .126 after the 7 a.m. March 14 crash, according to documents filed in the clerk's office Wednesday. Florida's legal limit is .08.

Stallworth, 28, who has cooperated with authorities since the crash, is expected to surrender Thursday morning.

His attorney, Christopher Lyons, declined comment.

DUI manslaughter is a felony that carries a minimum of four years to a maximum 15 years in prison.

Stallworth's bond is expected to be set at $200,000 and will allow him to live in both Florida and Ohio until the case goes to trial. He lists a Cleveland address, according to court documents.

http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/980098.html

[daisy7]

Donte' Stallworth gets a month in jail for DUI death

As a newly convicted felon, NFL player Donte' Stallworth will spend a month in jail, two years under house arrest and eight years on probation -- but his football career likely will survive.

The Cleveland Browns wide receiver, in pleading guilty Tuesday to DUI manslaughter, also will spend years publicly recounting his ultimate mistake, made the March morning he hit and killed crane operator Mario Reyes on the MacArthur Causeway in Miami Beach.

As part of his plea deal, Stallworth must perform 1,000 hours of community service, which likely will involve public service announcements and speeches to youth warning of the perils of drunken driving.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle bristled at the notion that Stallworth, 28, got off easy, pointing to his consistent remorse and the Reyes family's desire to avoid protracted legal proceedings.

''People who say that ought to talk to the 15-year-old daughter,'' she said of Reyes' daughter, Daniela.

``It's not about the people outside of the circle. It's about the family and Stallworth and his sense of responsibility and accountability. He's being punished appropriately. This is what the family wanted.''

Even Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the vocal group whose members routinely attend court hearings for DUI defendants, said the deal was the best outcome because of the Reyes family's wishes.

''I think there are a lot of kids as well as adults who will listen to his message,'' Miami-Dade MADD Director Janet Mondshein said of Stallworth. ``I think he'll do more good being out of jail and being active in prevention than he would be in jail.''

Prosecutors said they had considerable evidence against Stallworth, who had faced a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted: Lab tests showed his blood alcohol level at .126, well above the legal limit. The crash was caught on surveillance video. And he admitted to Miami Beach police that he was behind the wheel, having been at a nightclub earlier that morning.

The biggest hurdle at trial might have been that Reyes, 59, was not in a crosswalk when he crossed the causeway to catch a bus home, though Stallworth admitted he had enough time to honk his horn and flash his lights at him.

(snipped)

[Kimster]

I have NEVER heard of someone getting this light of a sentence in a DUI manslaughter case in DECADES. I'll bet M.A.D.D. is furious! Makes me angry as well!

[daisy7]

Originally Posted by Kimster

I have NEVER heard of someone getting this light of a sentence in a DUI manslaughter case in DECADES. I'll bet M.A.D.D. is furious! Makes me angry as well!

You and me both!!

But, MADD supported this, based on a quote from the above article

Even Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the vocal group whose members routinely attend court hearings for DUI defendants, said the deal was the best outcome because of the Reyes family's wishes.

''I think there are a lot of kids as well as adults who will listen to his message,'' Miami-Dade MADD Director Janet Mondshein said of Stallworth. ``I think he'll do more good being out of jail and being active in prevention than he would be in jail.'

I work in the prevention field and this is just so bogus!! His mere 30 days just shows adults and youth that there is a minimal penalty for drinking and driving. I'm all for having people tell their stories about how substance use negatively impacted their lives, but him telling his story and the minimal punishment he received is sending the WRONG message!

[oceanblueeyes]

Originally Posted by Kimster

I have NEVER heard of someone getting this light of a sentence in a DUI manslaughter case in DECADES. I'll bet M.A.D.D. is furious! Makes me angry as well!

Yes and they wanted to send State Trooper Robert Higby from PA to 20 years in prison but they give this guy practically nothing at all.

imo

[dgfred]

Originally Posted by daisy7

You and me both!!

But, MADD supported this, based on a quote from the above article



I work in the prevention field and this is just so bogus!! His mere 30 days just shows adults and youth that there is a minimal penalty for drinking and driving. I'm all for having people tell their stories about how substance use negatively impacted their lives, but him telling his story and the minimal punishment he received is sending the WRONG message!

Yes except the DA, and the victims family ok'ed the entire thing... if the family would have fought this he would have gotten a much stiffer sentence imo. So it kind of boils down to money, I'm guessing that a million or two would be hard to resist for a relatively poor family. They may have even got more, he has plenty. If the main parties concerned are ok with it, then it is not that much of an issue to me, but it does give a negative message to the youth.

[Columbo]

Originally Posted by dgfred

Yes except the DA, and the victims family ok'ed the entire thing... if the family would have fought this he would have gotten a much stiffer sentence imo. So it kind of boils down to money, I'm guessing that a million or two would be hard to resist for a relatively poor family. They may have even got more, he has plenty. If the main parties concerned are ok with it, then it is not that much of an issue to me, but it does give a negative message to the youth.

There had to be an exchange of money. Kind of sickening but I guess it would be hard for a poor family to refuse an offer of a million or more.
Still the whole thing makes me furious.
Yes-- we have the best legal system (and government) that money can buy....

[daisy7]

NFL suspends Browns WR Stallworth indefinitely

NEW YORK -- The NFL suspended Cleveland Browns star receiver Donte' Stallworth, who killed a pedestrian while driving drunk. In a letter to Stallworth, NFL commissioner Robert Goodell said Thursday the player's actions caused "irreparable harm." He will not be paid during the indefinite suspension.

(snipped)

http://www.miamiherald.com/614/story/1103854.html

[dgfred]

He will probably appeal, then receive something like 8 games... but it may be for the entire season I'm just not sure.