On April 1, Donte Stallworth, the Cleveland Browns wide receiver who was involved in a fatal collision with a pedestrian in Miami, Florida last month, was charged with DUI manslaughter. The incident occurred after the 28-year-old NFL star had been out at a swank South Beach nightspot.

Stallworth turned himself in after an arrest warrant was filed in the March 14 accident resulted in the death of 59-year-old Mario Reyes. He potentially faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

According to the results of a blood test, after the crash, Stallworth had a blood-alcohol content of 0.126, which exceeds the legal limit of 0.08. He will also be charged with DUI, which carries a potential additional penalty of six months in prison plus fines and community service for a first-time offense.

Last month, Stallworth released a statement saying that he was “grief-stricken” over the fatal accident.

According to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, the case will be reviewed under the league’s conduct and substance abuse policies.

According to court documents, Stallworth is prohibited from driving and consuming alcohol while on bail. He is also required to observe a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew and submit to random testing for alcohol and drugs through the NFL’s substance abuse program.

According to a Miami Beach police report, Reyes was not in a crosswalk on busy MacArthur Causeway when he was hit by Stallworth’s black 2005 Bentley luxury car. He was attempting to catch a bus home after finishing his shift as a construction crane operator around 7:15 a.m.

The report says Stallworth told police he flashed his lights at Reyes in an attempt to warn him and that the NFL star was driving at around 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.

According to an additional police affidavit filed on April 1, Stallworth had been drinking at a club in the posh Fountainebleau hotel. He left to go to a nearby home and headed out onto the causeway, where the crash occurred.

Bob Battle
Connect with me
100% of my practice is devoted to serious traffic defense and criminal litigation in state and federal courts
Post A Comment