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Bond Revoked For Woman In DUI Death Of Bicyclist
June 17, 2009
An Escambia County judge has ordered that bond be revoked for the woman charged with driving drunk and killing a bicyclist on Nine Mile Road.
Christina Rivkin remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond charged with DUI manslaughter and four other charges in connection with the death of Michael Steele, 25.
Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge Frank Bell ordered that Rivkin be held until her trial, deeming that she is a risk to the community.ef Rivkin did not speak at the bond hearing.
Rivkin will be back in court on July 2 for an arraignment hearing. She has hired DUI defense attorney Tommy Ratchford.
Steele’s funeral was held Tuesday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Rivkin was traveling westbound on Nine Mile Road about when she crossed the white line near Brewster Street and struck Steele as he was riding his bicycle to work at Winn Dixie about 11:15 p.m. June 10. Troopers say Steele and his bicycle were dragged under Rivkin’s GMC Yukon for about a quarter of a mile. Rivkin then fled the scene.
About an hour after the accident, Rivkin returned to the scene, where she “skidded to an abrupt stop nearly striking the patrol car of Deputy Mark Smith,” the FHP report says. She “appeared extremely intoxicated. She smelled strongly of alcoholic beverage and her speech was slurred. She could not walk without assistance. (She) could not remember her name or say where she was,” the report continues.Rivkin, according to the FHP, refused to perform a breath test, and a blood sample was taken to determine her blood alcohol level. Those test results are not yet available.
“He jumped out in front of me. What was I suppose to do?” Rivkin told a trooper at the scene.
The FHP says that the front of Rivkin’s vehicle had damage consistent with hitting the bicyclist, and “there appeared to be blood on the front of her vehicle.”
Rivkin had at least two prior DUI arrests and five other moving violations, according to the FHP.
Steele was riding his bicycle to work as part of the stock crew at the Nine Mile Road Winn Dixie when the accident occurred, according to family members. Steele and his wife, Brittney, 20, only owned one car, and family members said he wanted his wife to have the car for her morning commute. He rode the bicycle so that she did not have to drive him to work so that she would be well rested for her job.
Pictured above: Christina Rivkin’s Escambia County Jail booking photo. Click to enlarge.
Comments
3 Responses to “Bond Revoked For Woman In DUI Death Of Bicyclist”
This is very sad i feel sorry for her but she done it to herself she should of known better with her husband working for the Sherriff Dept he is out working trying to get people like her off the street im sure she is a very good person … and a pretty lady she had a drinking promble i hate this for her and her family
It is so sad that someone has to get hurt or killed before these people are taken off the roads.
She might as well get used to her new home.