Polk Man Allegedly Returned To Bar After Driving Drunk And Killing Girlfriend

Polk County authorities say a local man apprehended at a Babson Park tavern left the bar just hours before and accidentally ran over his girlfriend with his car, killing her.

Deputies say the 40-year-old man was drinking at the bar with his similarly-aged girlfriend when the pair became entangled in an argument. They say the defendant took the keys to her 2002 Dodge Neon, preventing her from driving in the state of intoxication she was then in.

Instead of remaining at the bar, they say she left on foot as the defendant finished his beer. He then slid behind the wheel of the car and went in search of his girlfriend. He said he attempted to miss an object in the road just a few blocks from the bar, but failed and struck it instead. Not knowing what it was, the defendant allegedly continued on.

Meanwhile, deputies say a crowd formed around the object the defendant allegedly struck, as it was later determined to be the now-lifeless body of the girlfriend. The defendant says he then realized that he had struck a human and returned to the bar in a vain effort to avoid trouble.

Deputies tracked down the defendant a short time later, saying he was extremely distraught when informed that his girlfriend was the victim of his driving. The pair had been dating for several years, the defendant allegedly told deputies, and they shared a residence at the time of her death.

The defendant was arrested at the bar and transported to the Polk County Jail. He was charged with DUI causing death, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, and driving without a valid license and continues to be held in lieu of a bond of $25,250.

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.