Driver Charged With DUI Manslaughter In Crash That Killed Two

September 27, 2018

An Escambia County man free on bond on a DUI charge has been charged with the death of two people killed in crash early Thursday morning not far from Walmart in Ensley.

Jamie Ty Hamrick, 28, was charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter and driving with a suspended license in crash resulting in death. He is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Hamrick of Pensacola was driving south on North Palafox Street at Sharmon Street when his Honda Civic that ran off the road, collided with a ditch, became airborne, hit a fence and overturned into a a tree about 2:50 a.m.

La’Phontae DeWayne Lewis, 25, and Antion Wade Lindsay, 32, were ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased. Hamrick was not injured.

According to jail records, Hamrick was arrested on an unrelated DUI charge five days ago and released on a $1,000 bond.

Comments

29 Responses to “Driver Charged With DUI Manslaughter In Crash That Killed Two”

  1. Pamela Hodge on July 12th, 2021 11:22 am

    I believe he should have been put in rehab or some where that would help those boys were his friends they all knew when they got in that car they all were doing the same thing if could have been one of them driving but to give him 30 years foe some thing 90 percent of us has done all have drove drunk this was bad but now 3 people have lost their life

  2. Sherry Hamrick on October 2nd, 2018 10:47 pm

    AMBER, God bless you. Please contact me if you don’t mind. It would mean a lot to me. (Ty’s Mama)
    I too used to wonder how drunk drivers didn’t get hurt if killed. And then the worst thing happened to me.
    I understand the rage and hate and opinions. I do. All tho I don’t agree with the name calling. But I get it. All the ones wanting Ty to pay… He will
    And he will pay the rest of his life. So have I. Maybe I don’t deserve any kind of request. But the only one I have is no one from law enforcement or anyone called me to tell me. I had to learn about it on the news. Maybe that suppose to be a punishment. I don’t know. I have begged and begged GGod to stop my heart.
    People will get upset when I say this. They are were drunk. They knew Ty was drunk. They got in on their own free will. And Ty was the only one with a seat belt. But still I know that the fact is Ty was still driving and drunk and this terrible tradady happened.
    But people can crucify him and I know people want him to get what he deserves.
    But there is something that is just as untolable. People have threatened my 8th month old grandbaby and her Mother. This child is innocent. It’s gotten so bad the mother and my grandbaby had to go in hiding. Come after me. Attack me physical and verbal. Take my life. But if someone.hurts one hair on my grandbaby’s head, I will be in jail too.
    My heart is so broken to the families. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to cope. I don’t know how to make this not happened.
    But I am still his Mother. God. I don’t know how to live with this either

  3. JCee on September 30th, 2018 12:16 am

    This guy need to go to prison for life. And Amber and they person that respond they must have not been wearing their seatbelts. What if it was your brother, father, or uncle how would you feel if they was killed by someone who was just release for drinking and driving and kill them a week from his release? If you look at Florida Law if someone is killed during a dui the individual receive if I am nit mistaken 20+ years in prison. he killed 2 people he should get double and if I am not mistaken he should get life because he has a DUI pending and was driving with no driving license. He hope he get everyday of it. These guys children want see them no more what make him so special. A Drunk how can he be defend?

  4. Shay on September 29th, 2018 4:06 am

    @anne

    Not only survive but without any serious injuries. As a paramedic I run on traffic accidents involving drunk drivers and it always amazes me how they walk away when their car is hardly recognisable as more than a heap of metal.

    I believe that they escape serious injury because their reflexes are slowed and their bodies are so relaxed from the alcohol that they are like rubber dolls. I.e where the normal person’s reflex would be to put your arms out to stop from hitting the dash or windshield, drunks reflex’s are to slowed and they don’t have time to react. A sober person ends up with broken bones in their arms,whereas, a drunk ends with no injuries

    Prayers for all three families in the wake of this horrible tragedy.

  5. Ms. K on September 28th, 2018 2:14 pm

    Amber – how very brave you are to stand up for someone that right now has no one backing him..yes he made a grave mistake that has ruined 3 family’s life. I for one am not going to turn my back on him either. I will be there for him at sentencing and will do all I can to help all 3 families that have been effected…I have lost the love of my life to a motorcycle accident because someone with a medical condition choose to get behind the wheel and drive…and ran him over and left the scene..and he walked away with not even a ticket…I think we should all be thanking God that one of our children did this….do I believe that he should pay for this mistake yes I do…but I am not going to judge him…the only person that will.judge him is God…not anyone else…none of us where there with him and his friends…only God was..

  6. Cantonment Mom on September 28th, 2018 1:56 pm

    It doesn’t matter his situation, his family life or if him and his girl recently split up. What matters is he made this choice. Nobody forced him to drink and drive a week ago. Nobody forced him to drink and drive again a week later. What does matter is he killed 2 people!!!!! Let that sink in. One of them being My friend’s daughters’ boyfriend. What really matters is he was expecting his child at the end of October!!!!

  7. Pops on September 28th, 2018 9:43 am

    We don’t need to know him. His actions speak loudly.

    We really do not know anyone at all. Sad but true.

    Someone who truly loves his kids won’t get two DUI’s and kill two people in the span of a week.

    We all have a lot on our plates. No excuses.

    Refer to my first response.

    Sure he could have. He could have not gotten behind the wheel while drunk…twice…in one week.

    Only a long time? He needs to never forget this.

    Sadly. it won’t. He’s already proved how selfish he is.

  8. fisherman on September 28th, 2018 9:23 am

    @Amber
    I don’t think what he did was intentional. If he’s drinking and gets behind the wheel to drive that’s intentional. I’m sure he didn’t plan on this accident but that’s what happens when you make bad decisions. Stop making excuses for him.

  9. Jim on September 28th, 2018 8:13 am

    @Amber – Regardless of his personality or what kind
    of family situation he has, he still has the same responsibility as every other driver on the roadway to drive sober. He also was told not to drive when his license was taken. And, yes, you can plan for it: it’s called seatbelts, don’t get loaded if you’re going to drive, and don’t drive if you shown you aren’t responsible enough. This was totally avoidable, and as a multiple repeat offender, if guilty, he deserves maximum sentencing…just as anyone else would face who didmthis same thing.

  10. Amber on September 28th, 2018 1:07 am

    You people don’t even know Ty I worked with him and knew a little bout him. I know he has kids and that him and his girl recently split up. He worked two jobs and had a lot on his plate. Yeah he had a drinking problem but he had a lot of other stuff going on too. He was a good guy from what I knew of him. Im sure that he feels extremely remorseful for what he has done and what he caused. I don’t think what he did was intentional. Quit downing someone you know nothing about. And as for the deaths he caused no body could have planned for that but I’m sure that he is going to have the guilt eat him alive for a long time if it doesn’t consume him.

  11. Leteta on September 27th, 2018 11:50 pm

    DUIs should be handled more seriously. Drug dealers get some serious time for destroying families. DUIs do the same!

  12. Concerned on September 27th, 2018 11:13 pm

    I don’t agree with what Mr. Hamrick did by drinking and driving, but in all consideration he didn’t plan on getting in an accident, the two killed were ejected so sounds like they didn’t have their seatbelts on so were they also drunk and not realize they were not restrained. I assume a blood alcohol will be done on them to see what their alcohol level was. Just wondering.

  13. KK on September 27th, 2018 9:33 pm

    $1000 bond for DUI 5 days ago? Doesn’t sound like his first.

  14. Laura on September 27th, 2018 8:45 pm

    If he was just arrested for a DUI, why was he given bail?? Our justice system? so confused!

  15. Kenny on September 27th, 2018 8:36 pm

    @ RCurran. I think that you must have read her statement a little different than what I did. I don’t recall it saying anything about OUR lawmen shooting anyone. She clearly stated that other countries has a way of dealing with people who decides to drive
    while drunk. But I guess that it’s ok when this drunk azz idiot decided to be judge and jury by taking another shot of double barrel and killed these two men that was along for the ride right. No different then holding a gun to their head and pulling the trigger.

  16. mick on September 27th, 2018 8:31 pm

    Unfortunately your alcoholism and your selfishness has affected so many others – you have caused the death of two, and the ripple effect has torn apart families and friends for the rest of their lives – obviously your addiction was to the point that you care about no one…

  17. Gary on September 27th, 2018 7:53 pm

    I agree with tooma.

  18. Vn on September 27th, 2018 7:25 pm

    Hope he never walks free again!

  19. RCurran on September 27th, 2018 7:02 pm

    Seriously, someone is actually suggesting that law enforcement SHOULD have the right to be Judge and Juror on the side of the road be able to legally kill an individual because they are suspected of DUI.

    Maybe you should move to that country since you have such admiration for their method of “due process of the law”.

  20. Trocarman on September 27th, 2018 5:42 pm

    Lock this drunk up for life.
    That would be justice. My prayers for the family and friends of the deceased.

  21. tooma on September 27th, 2018 4:45 pm

    Again! No more bail for chronic drunk driving. Two more souls gone because of society’s tolerance for repeat drunk drivers. Expedite the life sentence maybe he can bunk up with the last drunk that killed and was just sentenced to life. May he have all the toilet wine he can swill down as he rots in prison. The scourge continues to fester…

  22. Charlotte Bates on September 27th, 2018 3:27 pm

    OMG!!! Five days ago, he was arrested for a D.U.I., and released on a $1,000 bond? And now he’s got another D.U.I.? Only this time two people lost their lives because of this. So many people that get a D.U.I. and get their license suspended for a year, TO MAKE SURE THEY DON’T DRIVE AGAIN, MAKE THEM STAY IN JAIL FOR A YEAR UNTIL THEIR LICENSE IS RE-INSTATED. Then, if they are stupid enough to drive again and get a D.U.I., that sentence should be life in prison, especially if there is a death in the accident. I was reading, many years ago, about what some Countries do to drunk drivers. One country, I can’t remember which one, if you are stopped for a D.U.I., the police officer has the right to shoot you dead right there. I don’t think this is right, but I bet they don’t have many drunk drivers.

  23. Tarrence Wright Sr on September 27th, 2018 3:18 pm

    Lord peese be with the families

  24. Howie on September 27th, 2018 3:00 pm

    This drunk dude arrested recently on another DUI incident. WOW !

    2-3 drunk driver accidents a week lately. Drunks claiming lives of friends and people they know and don’t know. You’re right Anne – the drunkard seems to live through it. If living life going to jail is doing any good, not at all. With so many in jail for DUI, maybe a special prison to handle DUI cases. Jails are full and they need more room for the hard core criminals. Renovate an old building and lock it down. Nothing says it has to be beautiful or modern for these drunks.

    These young folks need to start making better decisions in life. Drugs and alcohol are not something to play around with. It poisons the mind and body.

    Prayers to the families of the deceased. The grief will be hard on you forever.

    Howie for “Don’t Drink and Drive”

  25. Grand Locust on September 27th, 2018 2:48 pm

    The criminal justice system is NOT a deterrent to a alcohol addicted individuals. The idea is to not let the bull get out of the barn. It should not be about getting the biggest and most expensive posse to catch the bull and punish the bad bull and then rule it will not get to go out to pasture for two years……..ask a farmer how that works the first time the Bull is released……they instinctively go out to the pasture.

    This is not rocket science. Impaired drivers should not be able to start a vehicle. The rest is simply an ineffective full employment ploy which leaves families shattered first by the loss of a loved one, but even more painful is the charade that the alcohol and restaurant industry lobbyist will lose profits if impaired people can no longer drive cars..

  26. cindy on September 27th, 2018 1:10 pm

    states attorney office needs to quit slapping on the hands and releasing as misdemeanors. Start making the charges harder and make them learn.

  27. buh-bye on September 27th, 2018 12:08 pm

    people like this never learn. Too bad he took two of his friends out but hey, pay to play. Hope he doesn’t see the outside ever again because he’ll just be a repeat offender. Bye Felecia!

  28. anne 1of2 on September 27th, 2018 11:29 am

    Why is it that the DUI driver always seems to survive the most terrible accidents? Prayers for the families of the passengers.

  29. Sunny on September 27th, 2018 11:07 am

    I’m reading many stories lately about drunks getting behind the wheel. It’s illegal, so therefore you get to spend many many days behind bars. What part of “illegal” do you people not understand ??? For those of you that drink and drive, I hope you get the message and change your ways. A little pocket change for a taxi or credit card for uber is the best transportation for you. I have friends that like to party hard and they use uber. I’m proud of them for doing that.

    “Brighter days ahead – Don’t drink alcohol or consume drugs and drive”