A Trinity, Florida man was taken into custody by the Florida Highway Patrol Tuesday, September 21, for causing a crash that killed his wife, according to Tampa Bay Online.
Philip Billitteri, 58, had a blood alcohol level of 0.194, more than twice the limit for impairment, when he was in a Florida car accident on April 30. FHP charged him with DUI manslaughter in the crash that killed his wife, Sherry, 66.
Troopers accuse Billitteri of driving his Chrysler PT Cruiser and turning from Trinity Boulevard onto Tamarind Boulevard. He is alleged to have cut off a pickup truck which hit the right side of the cruiser. The Chrysler was sent spinning and Sherry Billitteri was partially ejected from the vehicle. She was not wearing her seat belt. She died about three hours later in Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.
Her husband was wearing his seat belt and had minor injuries. The pickup truck driver also had minor injuries.
Billitteri was taken to Land O’ Lakes Jail on Monday on charges of DUI manslaughter which is a second degree felony and can carry a 15 year prison term. He was also charged with DUI and two counts of DUI with property damage.
The Florida Highway Patrol reports that alcohol-related fatalities decreased from 1,169 in 2008 to 1,004 in 2009.
About one-third of the more than 3,000 road deaths in our state annually involved alcohol and the FHP estimates the number could be closer to 40 percent.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a motorist who was driving under the influence, you may seek compensation for medical costs, property loss, expenses, and lost wages from the at-fault party. Call an experienced Florida wrongful death accident attorney to answer your questions.
