Florida DUI Manslaughter Kills Two Nuns
On September 27, 2009, 60-year-old Michael Hickman of North Fort Myers, Florida was driving and collided with a vehicle carrying two nuns who taught at St. Andrews Catholic School in Cape Coral. The two women, 80-year old Sister Karinne O’Malley and 84-year-old Sister Ann McFall were both killed at the scene of this Florida DUI accident. The only survivor was the women’s driver, Sister Elizabeth Meegan, who is the principal at St. Andrews. She was treated at Lee Memorial Hospital and released.
Florida Highway Patrol investigators reported that Hickman’s blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.
Because Hickman was not arrested at the scene, he still has a valid driver’s license. Only if charges are filed against Hickman for DUI in Florida will his license be pulled. Unless a driver is arrested for DUI at the scene of the accident, it is standard procedure for the state attorney’s office to review the traffic homicide case. This particular case was turned over to the Florida state attorney’s office late in December to be reviewed, and within several weeks a decision will be made regarding whether to file charges against Hickman.
DUI Manslaughter carries a maximum of 15 years of prison time for each count of DUI Manslaughter charged. Hickman’s blood samples were sent to a state lab, and showed his blood alcohol level was .228. The legal limit in the state of Florida is .08, and this number is almost three times the legal limit.
Fort Lauderdale DUI lawyer Carlos Canet, P.A. is experienced in Florida DUI defense. If you have been charged with DUI in south Florida and need DUI arrest advice, call 866-7ASKDUI to speak to an experienced DUI lawyer with offices in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties.
Tags: arrested at the scene, arrested for DUI, DUI Arrest Advice, DUI in Florida, DUI in south Florida, DUI Manslaughter, florida dui, Fort Lauderdale DUI
