Manatee County drivers education teacher arrested in fatal DUI case, police say
A Manatee County drivers education teacher recently became the second arrest in connection to a DUI manslaughter case.
Police arrested Robert Viera, 52, on Aug. 4 after investigators alleged video evidence shows Viera attempted to discard evidence from the vehicle involved in the crash. He is charged with tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
According to a spokesperson for the School District of Manatee County, Viera remains employed by the district pending the outcome of the case, however he has been reassigned to the district’s print shop. According to Viera’s LinkedIn profile, he has worked for the district since 2003.
Police say the crash happened on July 7 around 10:15 p.m. after Viera and the driver, Milton May Jr., 52, left a local bar and headed east on 42nd Avenue West. At the intersection of 59th Street West, police say May collided with a motorcycle heading north.
The passenger, a 35-year-old Palmetto woman, died from her injuries, and the motorcycle driver, a 28-year-old Bradenton man, sustained serious injuries. As of July 29, the man could open his eyes but could not move from the chin down, according to court records.
May, the alleged drunk driver, pleaded not guilty to the DUI manslaughter charge and posted the $350,000 bond on July 10. He faces a second-degree DUI manslaughter charge and a third-degree charge of DUI resulting in serious bodily harm.
After being arrested on Aug. 4, Viera was released on a $25,000 bond on Aug. 5 and pleaded not guilty on Aug. 13. Viera is to have no contact with May nor family members of the victims while he waits for arraignment on Sept. 19, according to court records.
Video shows evidence tampering, police say
According to police, new video evidence shows May and Viera’s actions at the local bar, Clancy’s Sports Bar and Grill, before the crash.
According to the arrest warrant, Viera is on video walking toward the passenger side of May’s vehicle holding a light-colored cup, while May was “stumbling slightly” with a black tumbler cup in his arms.
The video continues to show May placing the cups in the car, starting the vehicle and heading east, according to court records.
Police say that, after the crash occurred, Viera exited the vehicle, saw the victims and walked back to the vehicle. That’s when he grabbed a bag out of the rear passenger section of May’s vehicle, placed objects inside it and discarded the bag behind a building, according to video evidence obtained by police.
The police report states that officers did not find cups in the vehicle while searching it after the crash, and investigators say evidence shows Viera likely removed the cups and possibly other alcohol after the crash.
Investigators say video footage from Clancy’s shows there were seven drinks ordered between May and Viera before the crash. Using May’s approximate weight, police say about 10 drinks would have been required to cause May’s blood-alcohol level of 0.097, which was recorded at Blake Medical Center after the incident.
“This stands to reason that Mr. May and Mr. Viera were either someplace prior to Clancy’s consuming alcohol or consuming alcohol that they brought with them,” the warrant states.
The warrant also states that May’s attorney arrived on scene after the crash and May refused to take a field sobriety test. According to court records, May had glossy eyes, a strong odor of alcohol and heavily slurred speech.
May was transported to Blake Medical Center, where he allegedly told nursing staff he drank a “vodka and tea” before trying to reverse the statement moments later.
Meredith Censullo, a spokesperson for the Bradenton Police Department, said the department’s traffic homicide investigators are continuing the investigation. Anyone with information about the crash should contact Officer Ian Emrich at ian.emrich@bradentonpd.com.
