It was in the early evening of Oct. 20, 2014. Carl Alley, then 60, was driving east on State Road 100 with Elizabeth Alley, 45, and Vada Delk, 72.
Eileen Wojczyszyn, a 54-year-old Palm Coast resident, was going west on 100. She had stopped to turn onto County Road 305.
Jody Alan Hyde, then 26, was also driving west. But he was drunk, according to police. His blood-alcohol level would later register at 0.148. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08. He never reacted to Wojczyszyn being stopped at the intersection. Hyde, who was driving a Ford F-150, a pick-up truck, struck Wojczyszyn’s Hyundai, catapulting it in the path of Alley’s Chevrolet Cobalt, a compact car.
Carl Alley never had a chance to react. The Chevrolet and the Hyundai crashed head-on. Elizabeth Alley was killed. So was Delk. Carl Alley was left with incapacitating injuries. So was Wojczyszyn.
Hyde was initially cited for careless driving and fined $166. On Monday, following a homicide investigation by Florida Highway Patrol Cpl. Pete Young, Hyde was arrested and charged with two felony counts of DUI manslaughter, two counts of drunk driving with injuries, also felonies, and two misdemeanor charges of property damage. He was booked at the Flagler County jail and promptly posted bail on $58,000 bond.
If convicted, Hyde faces a minimum of four years–the minimum allowed by law–but sentences vary widely across the state. According to a Miami Herald analysis of 400 road fatalities in the state since 2012, the statewide average has been 10 years.
Fraddy says
Get them off the roads.
Dave says
“”If convicted, Hyde faces a minimum of four years–the minimum allowed by law”. So you can drive drunk and kill 2 people but you get only 4 years , that can’t be right. I personally would rather have him serve for DUI manslaughter, 2 life sentences with NO probation.
Veteran says
4 years for what really amounts to murder. Gimme a break.
Kevin says
Bizarre…even if he was sober his penalty for killing these innocent souls should have been greater than $166! Sad commentary that people are not held accountable for their actions. Can’t understand why manslaughter charges wouldn’t be enforced initially and then stiffer penalties if impaired by alcohol or drugs. Nowadays being on the road either in a car or on a bike or as a pedestrian, we are at risk of distracted drivers using their cell phones. Lives are ruined in a split second by selfish people think of only themselves.
confidential says
First of all this murderer should never have been allowed to walk on $166 reckless driving fine. Second he killed two ladies while driving DUI and allowing him to walk again on bail is just a travesty let him go wondering around for 2 years after he killed two and left badly injured the other two. Where is justice and what is wrong with these judges and the interpretation of our laws? Or maybe our laws are twisted in Florida? The one;s that have $$ do not get punished? So they do it again?
Mark says
We need to sue the booze companies!
Brittany says
Booze companies aren’t the ones that are drinking and deciding to get in their car and drive! All people should know their limits and just NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!!! Responsibility not Stupidity
PJ says
We need a very tough judge on this one!
Hammock says
Law enforcement knew he caused the accident resulting in death while drunk and it took a year and a half to investigate. What?
Nancy N says
Confidential – it’s not constitutional to deny bail except for the most egregious acts that deem a person a clear severe danger to the community (think serial murder and terrorism charges). That is not to say, however, that someone out of bail is living unfettered. Bail can come with conditions set by the judge that if violated will get bail revoked (such as an order not to drink alcohol). Also, when charged with a DUI offense in Florida, license suspension is automatic.
Dave – highly unlikely that he’ll only get 4 years for a double DUI Manslaughter although technically under the law it is allowable. As noted in the article, he’s probably looking realistically at at least 10, quite possibly 15 or more. I know someone serving 17 for a similar offense.
confidential says
Thank you Nancy…but I still I find until now his sentences not to fit the crime! He killed 2 and maimed 2 and has been out all this time…no justice for the victims.
Cathie says
What took so long to charge him? They knew immediately he was drunk. Something is seriously wrong with this story. He needs to go away for a long time. Did he do it on purpose? Of course not. Did he destroy lives and families? Absolutely. He made a bad choice and I’m certain it wasn’t the first time. At least if he does 20 years, that will be 20 years that he will be unable to make any other bad choices that harm innocent people.
David S says
This sounds like the old woman in Orlando who killed 2 people she plowed into a row of vehicles and a semi and she only got a fine and suspended her drivers permit for 1 yr does this make any sense?
mark says
having had a sister killed by a drunk driver over 30 years ago this still is a problem. i think if you get in a car after drinking .you are loading yourself like a weapon and when you kill or injure someone you should be charged with premeditated murder. there are no excuses for going drinking then driving
Yo says
It was clear that night that he was drunk…all he did was sit on the side of the road while OTHERS help until emergency services came. My husband who was driving behind Alley was seconds behind and tried to assist Alley and Delk but she passed with him there. He just sat there…In order for his body-type to be that drunk he had to drink about 9 drinks. Who does that and then gets in car!!??? Uber someone, call someone…!!!