Miami DUI Update: Donte' Stallworth Surrenders In Court And Is Released On $200,000 Bond
Facing the serious felony charge of DUI manslaughter, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth surrendered to authorities in Miami-Dade court on Thursday morning. Surrounded by family, friends, and his attorneys, Stallworth arrived in court dressed in a black suit and with his hair pulled back. He appeared before Circuit Court Judge Dennis Murphy for a brief hearing concerning the terms of his pretrial release before being handcuffed and taken away to Dade County Jail for processing.
Stallworth later posted a $200,000 bond to gain his release from jail. His criminal case is set for arraignment in front of Judge Murphy on April 23, 2009, at 9am. On that date, the Miami State Attorney's Office is expected to formally file DUI manslaughter charges against him. Under Florida law, DUI manslaughter is a 2nd degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in Florida state prison.
According to the conditions of his pretrial release, Stallworth will be allowed to live in Florida and Ohio, but must notify the court before traveling between the two places and must get permission to travel elsewhere. In addition, he is prohibited from doing any driving, consuming any alcohol, and must strictly abide by a 12am to 6am curfew. Stallworth will also be subject to random drug and alcohol testing through the National Football League's substance abuse program.
As the Miami Criminal Lawyer Blog reported previously, Stallworth was driving his Bentley eastbound on Miami's MacArthur Causeway on March 14, 2009, when he struck and killed a pedestrian, Mario Reyes, as he was crossing the street. A blood test taken shortly after the accident revealed Stallworth's blood alcohol level to be .126, which is substantially above Florida's legal limit. According to Miami Beach police, Stallworth had been drinking at Club Liv in the swanky Fontainebleau hotel in Miami Beach before leaving to go to a friend's home in Miami. He was on his way back to Miami Beach when the tragic accident happened.
In spite of the blood test results, Stallworth's attorney stated on Thursday that they would "vigorously defend these accusations in a court of law." However, as any Miami criminal attorney could tell you, Stallworth's criminal case could be a difficult one. In addition to the DUI blood test results, Stallworth made a number of arguably incriminating statements that, depending the circumstances, may be admissible against him at trial.
As this case develops, the Miami Criminal Lawyer Blog will post regular updates... so stay tuned.
