In July we reported on a fatal accident that occurred at the corner of Palmetto Park and 441. Police comments at the time suggested that Kelsey Cooper (above, 32) was to blame and that they suspected some kind of alcohol or drug impairment.
Court records show charges were filed against her on Monday and she was arrested on Tuesday. An appearance was scheduled for Wednesday morning but there’s no record in the system yet as to what happened. However, the Sheriff’s blotter shows that she was released on bond Wednesday afternoon.
The charges against Ms. Cooper include both DUI Manslaughter and Negligent Vehicular Manslaughter. We have not seen the toxicology report, but the Palm Beach Post reported that it showed her blood-alcohol level was “three times the legal limit” and also that it showed “signs of cocaine.”
Of course Ms. Cooper is innocent at this stage of the process. Her reported address is in the Boca Pointe community, northeast of Powerline and SW 18th. We see no criminal history for her, other than a minor traffic ticket in 2012.
The case is vaguely similar to two other DUI Homicide cases we’ve reported on in the past. Bianca Fichtel’s case from an accident with a bicyclist on Yamato at I-95 is still pending. We also previously reported on the appellate dismissal of the case against Angela Stracar from an accident that occurred in front of Boca Isles on Cain Blvd.
Tag: manslaughter
Bianca Fichtel Charged With DUI Manslaughter
Update: The charges against Ms. Fichtel were dropped by prosecutors on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
Bianca Fichtel (24) was just charged with DUI manslaughter arising out of an April accident. Ms. Fichtel’s reported address is in the Barrington subdivision of Boca Chase (west of 441 and just south of Clint Moore).
Ms. Fichtel has two previous felony arrests, including a 2010 drug paraphernalia charge and a 2011 case involving alleged possession of stolen property that was dropped by prosecutors. She’s also had a few traffic cases including one for leaving the scene of an accident and a high speed on the Turnpike in Broward.
The April accident occurred at Yamato near I-95. Ms. Fichtel’s Ford F-150 allegedly collided with a bicyclist, George Morreale. The 65-year-old died “as a result of multiple blunt force trauma injuries.”
Police indicate that Fichtel had a passenger, Paul Maida, who was himself previously arrested in a January SWAT incident.
The arrest report asserts that Ms. Fichtel’s truck hit Morreale in the bicycle lane, but there appears to be little or no evidence of that.
Ms. Fichtel’s blood was drawn (it’s unclear if that was done properly). The toxicology report did show some drugs in her system and it’s not clear whether the level of those drugs is enough to have caused impairment. The police report vaguely alleges that it might be enough.
The alprazolam and nordiazepam levels are well below “therapeutic” levels. The clonazepam is in the therapeutic range but nowhere near toxic. The other drugs are so low as to be essentially unmeasurable.
This looks like a very difficult case for the prosecution to prove. There are major holes in proving both the cause of the accident and that Fichtel was impaired by drugs.