A series of car crashes that led to multiple DUI charges in Tampa including DUI manslaughter against an Army veteran has led to the man pleading guilty after claiming his innocence for more than a year. Randy Archiquette is waiting to be sentenced now on two counts of DUI manslaughter, three counts of DUI with property damage and leaving the scene of numerous accidents.
Archiquette could be looking at life in prison for killing two women in a series of crashes. According to TampaBay.com on April 13, 2009 Archiquette caused five crashes in a 30-minute period while driving his Chevrolet Yukon with a 0.147 blood alcohol level. He was driving near Hillsborough and Florida Avenues when his truck finally flipped ending his rampage. Following the crashes Archiquette learned that 20-year-old Brittany McFarland and 69-year-old Betty Williams were both dead. He steadfastly denied he could have killed the two women. Prosecutors contend that Archiquette was not only drunk but under the influence of prescription drugs as well at the time of the car crashes.
The families who lost loved ones that day will have to wait until February 11 to find out what Archiquette’s Florida DUI sentence will entail. The judge warned Archiquette that he could not change his mind once he pleads guilty and the penalty for DUI manslaughter in Florida could be life in prison. Archiquette acknowledged that he understood that. He has already been in jail for 19 months since his arrest as he was not given bail. The Army veteran spent 12 years serving his country and has two young daughters.
Several family members attended the hearing as did the grandmother of Summer Moll who was severely injured in a DUI crash in which Tammy Rosian also lost her daughter. Rosian connected with families of the victims of this accident on Facebook and came to lend support.
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