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Driver Charged With DUI Manslaughter After Hitting, Killing Man On Golf Cart
March 26, 2021
An 81-year old Escambia County man was killed when his golf cart was hit by a pickup truck Thursday, and the driver that hit him is now jailed.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the man on the golf cart was attempting to cross over Barrancas Avenue from Weis Lane about 5:05 p.m. He was ejected and pronounced deceased on the scene.
James Ward, Jr., age 75, was charged with DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide and possession of marijuana by the Florida Highway Patrol’s Traffic Homicide Division. FHP said was driving his truck at a high rate of speed west on Barrancas Avenue. Prior to the fatal crash, he ran of the roadway multiple times, colliding with the concrete barriers on the Bayou Chico Bridge.
“Mr. Ward displayed obvious signs of impairment during the investigation at the scene, due to struggling to stand and maintain his balance, for his safety Field Sobriety Exercises had to be stopped. The team was afraid for his safety, appearing to be a fall risk and injuring himself,” FHP Lt. Jason King said.
The FHP no longer releases the names of traffic crash victims.
Comments
8 Responses to “Driver Charged With DUI Manslaughter After Hitting, Killing Man On Golf Cart”
We all or shall I say most of us in our life time have driven drunk, high, or to the point of ALMOST drunk and ONLY by the grace of God we didn’t hurt / kill ourselves or anyone else. Let us all be careful how we point our finger’s at the other person because WE ALL have sined and come SHORT of God’s glory, mercy and grace. It was the driver of the truck rainy day then but who to say other than God when my / your rainy day will come in another fashion / way? I am praying for BOTH families because they have lost a love one.
John, You can cross over a road with a higher speed limit than the road you are traveling on. I have a golf cart and know the law. As long as he just crosses the higher rated road and is still on the 35 mph he can. Also you don’t have to register if the road is designated for golf carts which I am sure that road wasn’t.
You have to make to punishment great enough to cause a deterrent. I’m not sure of the statistics right now of DUI Manslaughter. One person mentioned on this forum they lost their mother and the perp. only got two years. I certainly think this should warrent at least life in prison, at the very least. People need to experience a real fear when they sit behind the wheel intoxicated. There was a time if you caused a person’s death there was severe consequences to be paid.
To answer you road questions! Golf carts can operate on road with a maximum speed limit of 35mph. But BUT one must still register it as a low speed vehicle, and must have tag! headlights and taillights. So he should NOT have been driving the cart across Barrancas. Barrancas has a 40mph and 45mph zone.
Both wrong and both have cost them!
this is so sad for all .just curious if the 81 yr oid was supposed to even be driving the golf cart on the rd ?
Condolences to the family. If you want to catch DUI drivers just pop a squat up in Molino. Can’t tell you how many drink and drive out here. Maybe even stop some of these atvs that ride around drinking. An innocent pedestrian or driver will eventually get killed if you don’t patrol up here more.
Same thing happened with our mother and the guy on served two years, real justice…
75 years-old and still playing stupid games with drugs and alcohol. Now an innocent man is dead from it. It’s one thing to be young and make these kind of errors(youthful stupidity) but geez, at 75 you’d THINK it’d be done. Prayers for the victims family.