Former Yankee Fighting DUI Charge
Posted on Oct 26, 2010 11:40am PDT
As reported by CNN, Jim Leyritz, a former New York Yankee player, is facing DUI manslaughter charges in Broward County Circuit Court in Florida.
A resident of Plantation, Fredia Veitch, 30, was killed in a car crash just after 3 a.m. on December 28, 2007. At an intersection controlled by traffic lights, Leyritz, after spending the evening at bars in Fort Lauderdale to celebrate his 44th birthday, allegedly caused the crash due to his intoxication.
Leyritz is known for being a hero of the 1996 World Series.
Witnesses are expected to have differing testimonies as to whether Leyritz entered the intersection of S.W. 7th Avenue and S.W. 2nd Street with either a yellow or red light.
Leyritz's Ford Expedition struck Veitch's Mitsubishi Montero in the driver's side. His damage is to the front of his car. Veitch's car then spun and rolled until she was thrown from her vehicle. She died from her injuries.
At the scene of the accident police administered and videotaped Leyritz's field sobriety tests. Leyritz's defense contend that he was not impaired at this time while officers say that he failed the tests.
At Broward General Hospital, three hours after the fatality, Leyritz's blood was drawn. This test showed a blood alcohol level of .14 - .06 over the Florida legal limit of .08.
Both defense and prosecution agree that Veitch was also intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Veitch - not wearing a seatbelt, driving without headlights, receiving calls and text messages on her cellular phone all at the time of the crash - had a blood alcohol level of .18.
Leyritz's attorney has been barred by a judge from entering information on Veitch's conduct, and state of mind, as it's not seen as relevant in concluding whether or not she had a red or green light signal.
Leyritz is claiming that since he had a yellow light when he entered the intersection, and Veitch ran a red light, that the subsequent crash was Veitch's fault.
Whether of not jurors agree with Leyritz, in Florida the law stands that if Leyritz caused or contributed in any way to the accident, he can be found guilty of DUI manslaughter.
Leyritz has pleaded not guilty. He faces four to 15 years in state prison if convicted.
Veitch's husband and two children have been awarded both a lump sum of $250,000 and $1,000 a month for 100 months starting April 15, 2011 from a wrongful death suit settled with Leyritz earlier this year.
Leyritz played for the New York Yankees from 1990 to 1996, returning for parts of the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Known mostly as a catcher, he also played for the Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
He is now retired from baseball, divorced and raising three sons in Florida.
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