For a second time, South Florida polo entrepreneur John Goodman has been found guilty of drunk-driving. A Palm Beach County jury found Goodman guilty of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter stemming from a 2010 car accident that killed another driver.
In 2010, Goodman, while driving his Bentley, smashed his Bentley into the side of another car. The other car, driven by a 23-year-old, rolled into a canal and the young driver tragically died.
Results of Goodman’s First DUI Conviction
In 2012, a jury found Goodman guilty of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in regards to the crash with the 23-year-old, but the court overturned the conviction because of juror misconduct. The court granted Goodman a second trial after it was revealed that a juror apparently lied to get onto the jury.
The defense accused the juror of misconduct after the juror failed to disclose that his former wife had a DUI conviction.
During the first trial, the defense argued that Goodman was not actually intoxicated at the time of the accident. Instead, the defense claimed that the blood-alcohol test produced an inaccurate reading of .177, which is more than twice Florida’s legal limit. Goodman admitted to having shots of alcohol before the crash, but claimed he was not drunk at the time of the accident. After the accident, Goodman said he found a bottle of liquor in a nearby barn and that he consumed the liquor after the accident to alleviate his pain. He claimed this was the reason for his high blood alcohol level. In addition, Goodman’s defense team argued that the accident occurred because the brakes on Goodman’s $200,000 Bentley malfunctioned.
At the second trial, which took place in October 2014, the jury (like the original jury) did not believe the defenses presented by Goodman and found him guilty of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. The first jury sentenced Goodman to 16 years in prison and fined him $10,000. Sentencing for the second trial is set to take place on November 19th. Goodman has already reached a settlement with the victim’s family in which he will pay the family $46 million.
Contact a Miami Auto Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident, contact a Miami car accident attorney. If you were involved in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence or reckless conduct, you may be able to recover compensation. Examples of damages you may recover include compensation for medical bills, lost wages and earning capacity, and physical and emotional pain and suffering.
The Perez-Gurri Law Firm has extensive experience with Florida car accidents and will handle all aspects of your car accident case. Contact our office today for a free initial consultation and case evaluation or visit our office in Coral Gables, Florida. We want to protect your rights and to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.