Just in Time for Halloween: Justice Finally Served After Horrific Crash Five Years Ago
A Florida jury has convicted John Goodman of DUI manslaughter — for the second time. The first conviction for the drunk driving crash was reversed because of juror misconduct.
Ultra-wealthy Goodman faces up to 16 years in prison for causing the drunk driving accident that tragically took the life of 23 year-old Scott Patrick Wilson.
The 51 year-old Goodman has repeatedly avoided accountability for the gruesome collision where he ran a stop sign in his Bentley convertible and plowed into Mr. Wilson’s Hyundai Sonata. Mr. Wilson’s car flipped over into an adjacent canal where the recent engineering graduate drowned.
Goodman then fled the scene, leaving the young man to die at the scene. He did not call 911 until an hour later. His blood alcohol content (BAC) was more than twice the legal limit in Florida when he was tested three hours after the fatal DWI auto accident.
Justice Prevails Over Wealth in Drunk Driving Case
oodman has always tried to avoid responsibility for the deadly crash.
Most notably, the millionaire attempted to adopt his 42 year-old
girlfriend as his daughter to protect his assets from a wrongful death
lawsuit filed by Mr. Wilson’s parents. Fortunately, the courts rejected
this shockingly deceptive plan to thwart justice.
He again
avoided accountability when the appellate court overturned a March 2012
conviction for DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. A juror failed
to disclose relevant information about his ex-wife’s DUI arrest that
impacted his eligibility to serve on the jury, purportedly with hopes to profit off of the high profile case. While he awaited his second trial, Goodman was released on a $7 million bond and paid $2,000 per day
for monitoring by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department.
The substantial wealth of the polo player, who acquired his fortune from
the sale of his family’s Texas AC manufacturing company, could not buy
off justice permanently. Goodman is likely to receive the same
16-year sentence he did in the first trial. His insurance company has
paid Mr. Wilson’s parents a $40 million settlement.
No Refusal Weekend Announced By Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office
This Halloween weekend from Friday night at 9:30 p.m. through Sunday morning at 5:30 a.m., for the first time, has been added to the list of “No Refusal” Weekends. Police officers will use search warrants which enable them to draw blood from drivers who have refused the standard breath test after arrested for DWI. Those people charged will face fine, jail, and have their names published on the DA;s web site. All weekends during our Stock Show have also been added to the list. I’d like to see every weekend — and every day during the week — be included to stop catastrophes like this one from happening so routinely.
Join Bill Berenson at Walk Like MADD
The Goodman case is a reminder that one person’s poor choice to drink and
drive can result in the tragic death of a promising young person. At
Walk Like MADD, we stand together to demand accountability of drunk
drivers and to end these senseless deaths and injuries.
Berenson Law is a sponsor of the Walk Like MADD
event, where I have been asked to speak to participants. This important annual event raises money and awareness about the consequences of drunk
driving, with the goal of one day putting an end to DUI accidents. Join me at Walk Like MADD at Ridgmar Mall this Saturday, November 1st, to lend your support in the fight against drunk driving.
If you have been injured by a drunk driver, Berenson law can help you reach justice. Call us at 817-885-8000 or toll-free at 1-888-801-8585 for a free consultation.