MIAMI -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth began serving a 30-day jail sentence Tuesday for killing a pedestrian while driving drunk in Florida, a punishment made possible by his cooperation with investigators and the fervent wish by the victim's family to put the matter behind them.
Stallworth, 28, received the sentence after pleading guilty to a DUI manslaughter charge for striking and killing Mario Reyes while driving drunk March 14 in his black 2005 Bentley. The athlete also reached a confidential financial settlement with the family of the 59-year-old construction worker.
Without the plea deal, the DUI manslaughter conviction could have netted Stallworth 15 years in prison. After his release from jail, he must serve two years of house arrest and spend eight years on probation. The house arrest provisions will allow him to resume his football career, his attorney said.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is reviewing the matter for possible disciplinary action. Stallworth could face suspension without pay for some games this year.
Leonard Little of the Rams pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after he hit and killed a woman while driving drunk in 1998 and served an eight-game suspension, though the punishment was doled out when the league was a bit more lenient.
The Browns also said they were evaluating the situation, saying they were "very conscious of the seriousness of the charges" to which Stallworth pleaded guilty.
Stallworth's attorney, Christopher Lyons, said the financial settlement was only one factor in the plea agreement. He noted that Stallworth stopped immediately after the accident, called 911 and submitted to roadside alcohol testing despite spending most of the night drinking at a swanky Miami Beach hotel.
"He acted like a man," Lyons said. "He remained at the scene. He cooperated fully."
Stallworth told Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy that he hopes to get involved in drunken driving education programs.
"I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy," said Stallworth, who was accompanied at the hearing by his parents, siblings and other supporters. "I will bear this burden for the rest of my life."
Stallworth also must undergo drug and alcohol testing, will have a lifetime driver's license suspension and must perform 1,000 hours of community service. Lyons said after five years, Stallworth could win approval for limited driving such as for employment.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle echoed Lyons in citing Stallworth's lack of previous criminal record, cooperation and willingness to accept responsibility as factors in the plea deal. Rundle also said the Reyes family -- particularly the victim's 15-year-old daughter -- wanted the case resolved to avoid any more pain.
"For all of these reasons, a just resolution of this case has been reached," Rundle said.
None of the Reyes family attended the hearing. Their attorney, Rodolfo Suarez, read a statement saying the family wants to "bring closure to this emotional and tragic event." Suarez did not respond to an email seeking comment.
After a night drinking at a bar in Miami Beach's Fountainebleau hotel, police said Stallworth hit Reyes, a construction crane operator who was rushing to catch a bus after finishing his shift around 7:15 a.m. Stallworth told police he flashed his lights in an attempt to warn Reyes, who was not in a crosswalk when he was struck.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
OCEANSIDE: CHP commander retires after 37 years
OCEANSIDE -- Capt. Dave Webb's biggest challenge as commander of North County's California Highway Patrol office came early on. Within 18 months of his assuming the role in early 2000, two officers were killed by motorists on Interstate 5, devastating his squad, he said.
Slowly, the pain subsided.
"You get through it eventually -- you never forget them," said Webb, 60, who retired Monday after 37 years with the CHP and the last nine as commander in Oceanside.
Nearly a decade later, Webb knows the day and location they each died.
CHP Officer Sean Nava was struck and killed on duty Oct. 28, 2000, while at an accident scene near Tamarack Avenue in Carlsbad. Officer Steven Linen was also struck and killed while on duty near Leucadia, on Aug. 12, 2001.
No other North County CHP officers have died under Webb's watch. There have been, however, several major injury crashes involving his officers, and numerous civilians killed on local roadways, Webb said.
"Since I've been here, hundreds have been killed, unfortunately," the Vista resident said. "It's not like a plane crash. It doesn't happen all of a sudden."
Death and injury remain a constant for CHP officers, the commander noted. The state job is the sixth most dangerous nationwide among law enforcement agencies for on-duty deaths, he said.
Webb credits a strong and skilled staff of 82 patrol officers and 20 support staff for brightening his job and keeping motorists safe.
The North County patrol officers cover roughly 1,000 square miles, from the northern San Diego city limits to Riverside County and from the beach cities east to Valley Center.
He cited the Highway 76 corridor east of Interstate 15 as one that's quickly become among the most dangerous in the region. Nine fatal wrecks have taken place in the Valley Center and Pauma Valley areas this year alone, he said, adding several were on or near the 76. That's one-third of the total fatal wrecks for the North County, Webb said.
A state DUI enforcement grant will bolster patrols in that area in August, he said.
Webb plans to stay in his Vista area home once he retires. He and his wife of nearly 40 years, Bernadette, have three grown children and eight grandchildren. The commander said he hopes to see more of all of them in retirement.
Reflecting on his career with the CHP, which began with patrol duty in Blythe and led to stints as an academy training officer and later as head of internal affairs for the agency in Sacramento, Webb said he'll miss the people the most.
"I've had a great career. I don't have regrets," Webb said. "It's a really good squad here, really good people."
Source
Slowly, the pain subsided.
"You get through it eventually -- you never forget them," said Webb, 60, who retired Monday after 37 years with the CHP and the last nine as commander in Oceanside.
Nearly a decade later, Webb knows the day and location they each died.
CHP Officer Sean Nava was struck and killed on duty Oct. 28, 2000, while at an accident scene near Tamarack Avenue in Carlsbad. Officer Steven Linen was also struck and killed while on duty near Leucadia, on Aug. 12, 2001.
No other North County CHP officers have died under Webb's watch. There have been, however, several major injury crashes involving his officers, and numerous civilians killed on local roadways, Webb said.
"Since I've been here, hundreds have been killed, unfortunately," the Vista resident said. "It's not like a plane crash. It doesn't happen all of a sudden."
Death and injury remain a constant for CHP officers, the commander noted. The state job is the sixth most dangerous nationwide among law enforcement agencies for on-duty deaths, he said.
Webb credits a strong and skilled staff of 82 patrol officers and 20 support staff for brightening his job and keeping motorists safe.
The North County patrol officers cover roughly 1,000 square miles, from the northern San Diego city limits to Riverside County and from the beach cities east to Valley Center.
He cited the Highway 76 corridor east of Interstate 15 as one that's quickly become among the most dangerous in the region. Nine fatal wrecks have taken place in the Valley Center and Pauma Valley areas this year alone, he said, adding several were on or near the 76. That's one-third of the total fatal wrecks for the North County, Webb said.
A state DUI enforcement grant will bolster patrols in that area in August, he said.
Webb plans to stay in his Vista area home once he retires. He and his wife of nearly 40 years, Bernadette, have three grown children and eight grandchildren. The commander said he hopes to see more of all of them in retirement.
Reflecting on his career with the CHP, which began with patrol duty in Blythe and led to stints as an academy training officer and later as head of internal affairs for the agency in Sacramento, Webb said he'll miss the people the most.
"I've had a great career. I don't have regrets," Webb said. "It's a really good squad here, really good people."
Source
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