Tampa Woman Charged With DUI Manslaughter After Fatal January Wreck

A Tampa woman is facing DUI manslaughter charges after a January wreck that killed one and seriously injuring a second.

Temple Terrace police say Camaren Hailey Edson was driving her Nissan Murano northbound on Morris Bridge Road at around 1 A.M. on January 24 when she lost control of the vehicle while attempting to negotiate a curve.

Veering first into onto the shoulder, they say Edson overcorrected and ended up on the wrong side of the centerline, encountering the Ford Fusion piloted by Uniquea Hamilton, with Takenya James along as a passenger.

Per investigators, the collision, which happened just south of Fowler Avenue, was a significant one. Describing the resultant damage as “catastrophic,” they say Hamilton had to be cut from the vehicle by firefighters at the scene. She was ultimately taken to Tampa General Hospital and given treatment for a broken leg.

Unfortunately James was not as fortunate. She was transported to Florida Hospital and ultimately expired from her injuries.

Officers on the scene say Edson displayed several telltale signs of inebriation, including glassy, watery eyes and slow speech. They also say they could smell the odor of alcoholic drink within her wrecked vehicle. Additionally, she allegedly told detectives that she had consumed a glass of wine with dinner at a friend’s house just prior to the accident.

Edson was transported to Tampa General Hospital to be treated for a broken leg. While there, a nurse drew blood and tested it for alcohol, noting a positive result. The test results were turned over to the chief toxicologist for the Hillsborough Medical Examiner, who estimated a blood-alcohol content of between 0.13% and 0.15%, which is above the Florida statutory limit of 0.08%.

She was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail on August 6 on a raft of DUI charges, including DUI manslaughter. She was released the next day after posting a bond of $134,500.

The Law Offices of Bjorn Brunvand have been representing people charged with capital murder, felony drug charges, drunk driving, government fraud, and white-collar crimes for over a quarter century. Contact our office today to discuss your Tampa Bay-area state or federal charges.