A notorious drunk driving case continues to draw attention to the legal process in Florida.
Multimillionaire John Goodman was behind the wheel of his black Bentley convertible in the early morning hours of February 12, 2010. Allegedly drunk, Mr. Goodman sped through a stop sign in West Palm Beach and smashed into a Hyundai driven by Scott Wilson, a recent university graduate.
The force of the impact flipped the Hyundai into an adjacent water-filled drainage ditch. Mr. Wilson, unconscious from the crash, drowned in his car. Mr. Goodman fled the scene, finally contacting police an hour after the accident.
Mr. Goodman had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) almost twice the legal limit three hours after the accident. Police testified at the DUI manslaughter trial of Mr. Goodman that the defendant told them he did not know what he hit and did not see the car.
Since that deadly evening, the family of Mr. Wilson continues to wait for justice in light of events that include:
- In May of 2012, Mr. Goodman was convicted of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter. He was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
- By May of 2013, Mr. Goodman was granted a new trial based on the misconduct of a juror.
- The trial team of Mr. Goodman moved for dismissal of evidence including the BAC results and police testimony. Lawyers for Mr. Goodman also sought dismissal of charges against Mr. Goodman, alleging that release of his wrecked Bentley denied him due process.
The promising life and career of Mr. Wilson ended in February 2010 when a wealthy drunk man took his life. Without a new trial date for his criminal trial, Mr. Goodman remains under house arrest.
The final outcome of that February evening remains to be seen. If you are injured by a drunk driver in Florida, speak to experienced injury attorneys in Bradenton.