Pinellas deputy fired, charged with DUI manslaughter in Palmetto crash, says his 'life is over'
MANATEE -- A veteran Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy has been fired after being charged with DUI manslaughter.
Timothy A. Vaughan, 37, was fired Saturday, hours after he was arrested and charged with the DUI manslaughter in the death of a 20-year-old woman, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
"The crash remains under investigation, albeit an arrest was made," Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Gregory S. Bueno wrote Monday in an email to a Bradenton Herald reporter.
The crash took place at 10:29 p.m. Friday on U.S. 41 near the intersection with 37th Street Court East, Palmetto, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Vaughan was driving in a 2015 Kia Sportage northbound on U.S. 41 in the left lane.
FHP troopers said a 21-year-old Bradenton man on a Yamaha V Star motorcycle carrying Alexandria Marler, 20, of Bradenton, and a 25-year-old Bradenton man on a Harley Davidson motorcycle carrying a 24-year-old Bradenton woman were in the left turn lane. According to a report, Vaughan was behind the two motorcycles when he failed to maintain his lane and entered into the left turn lane, colliding with the Yamaha.
"This collision caused the Yamaha to lose control and collide with the rear of the Harley Davidson," a report states.
Marler was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. She fell off the Yamaha and landed in the left lane of U.S. 41 and was struck by the Kia Sportage, troopers said.
Marler was transported to Blake Medical Center where she was pronounced dead due to injuries sustained in the crash.
Five witnesses, including the Harley Davidson motorcyclist and his passenger, saw the driving pattern of the Kia, the crash and Vaughan driving the Kia. According to a report, a law enforcement official on scene said Vaughan had a noticeable odor of alcohol on his breath.
Vaughan told troopers that he had left his house because his dog was bleeding profusely and he went to several stores to find medical items for his dog. According to the report, Vaughan said he was hurrying to get home.
The trooper conducting the interview noted in the report the obvious odor of alcohol on Vaughan's breath, and that the off-duty deputy had bloodshot, watery eyes, a flushed face and slurred speech at times. Troopers said Vaughan had burned his right foot on the Yamaha after trying to move it after the crash and that he stumbled at times while walking. Vaughan consented to a voluntary blood sample as part of the investigation and his blood was drawn inside an ambulance vehicle.
After reading his Miranda rights, troopers asked Vaughan to tell him what happened.
Vaughan said he was in a hurry to get his dog some medical items and that he swerved to the left because he saw the motorcycles braking. Vaughan told troopers that he knew he hit one of the motorcycles, but he was not sure about the other one, according to the report. After the crash, Vaughan said he stopped his vehicle and got out to help the female passenger who had been thrown off the motorcycle. He tried getting the motorcycle off her and burned his foot while doing so.
Asked how much he had to drink, Vaughan told troopers he had not had anything to drink that night. He then said he drank maybe a six-pack earlier before dinner and had stopped drinking around 6 p.m. According to the report, Vaughan said he had made chicken wings for dinner and had only drank beer before that.
Troopers asked Vaughan if he thought he was OK to drive that night, to which he replied "probably not." Several times during the investigation, Vaughan said his life was over.
Vaughan consented to several field sobriety tests, including following the tip of a pen with his eyes, a walk and turn exercise, and a one-leg stand. Once the exercises were finished, Vaughan was placed under arrest and charged with serious bodily injury, DUI property damage and personal injury at approximately 1:23 a.m. Saturday and transported to the Manatee County jail. Troopers said Vaughan's first breath sample was a 0.202 and the second was a 0.198. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.
Vaughn was not hurt in the incident. He is being held on bonds totaling $76,500.
According to employees at South Florida Gymnastics at 3241 59th Drive E., Bradenton, where Marler worked until this past fall, she was a gymnast there since the age of 4. Gym employees said Marler began coaching at the gym three years ago and left this past October to pursue her dreams of working with horses.
The gym is trying to consolidate the various fundraisers being started for the Marler family and have them go through the gym.
A gym spokeswoman said Marler was "spunky, happy and determined. She had a gentle spirit and was sure to make you smile."
She is survived by a 2-year-old daughter.
Gym representatives declined to say more until they speak further with the Marler family.
Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041. Follow him on Twitter@urbanmark2014.
Amaris Castillo, law enforcement/island reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7051. Follow her on Twitter @AmarisCastillo.
This story was originally published May 9, 2016 at 11:34 PM with the headline "Pinellas deputy fired, charged with DUI manslaughter in Palmetto crash, says his 'life is over' ."