Late Friday evening, as Bike Week revelers were taking advantage of the last 48 hours of their annual bash in Flagler and Volusia, a truck and a motorcycle collided just outside the White Eagle Lounge on U.S. 1. The man on the motorcycle sustained non-life-threatening injuries to the head. By the time Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies had investigated the crash, Raymond Albinger, a 54-year-old resident of Daytona Beach, was arrested on charges of drunk driving with damage to property or to a person, and also charged with marijuana possession.
The wreck, according to witnesses, took place when a 2010 Dodge Ram pulled out in front of a motorcycle. Witnesses told police that they saw a man get out of the truck and throw things away from the bed of the truck immediately after the crash. The question at first, for deputies, was who was driving the truck.
Albinger, who “appeared intoxicated” to deputies, according to a police report, denied to deputies that he was driving the truck. Nancy Albinger was claiming to be the driver. A deputy then spoke with witnesses. Three women and two men said they’d seen “the male driver of the truck.” They were asked to stand by until deputies were done assisting the victim. By then, only one witness had stayed behind to speak with deputies. That witness said he “heard the impact,” according to the report, “and saw the truck crossing the median and then stop south of the crash.” The witness said he saw a white man “exit the driver’s side door of the truck then grab items from the bed of the truck and throw them to the bushes on the west side of the road.”
When the witness was asked if he recognized anyone near, he pointed to Raymond Albinger and said, “That’s the guy. That’s the guy I saw get out of the driver’s seat!”
Nancy Albinger was read her Miranda rights and agreed to answer questions, saying she was driving, and that Raymond had been in the passenger seat. She was not sure how the crash occurred. (Nancy and Raymond Albinbger had been married but were divorced in 2012.)
Raymond Albinger spoke of needing to have an attorney, according to the report, but kept on speaking to police “without my initiation,” the deputy’s report states. Albinger’s balance was “unsteady and his speech thick tongued,” the report states, and he had glassy eyes. In the bushes, deputies found a red and white cooler with ice and three closed 12-ounce bottles of Miller High Life beer.
As Albinger was being arrested, a deputy found a bag in his front pants pocket containing 5.5 grams of what deputies said was marijuana. At the county jail, Albinger was administered two breathalizer tests which produced results of 0.169 and 0.158 percent blood-alcohol level. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.
Albinger, who had two previous arrest in Flagler. In 2002 he was arrested on marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. He successfully completed a deferred prosecution agreement. In 2012 he was charged with domestic battery and completed another deferred prosecution agreement.
THE VOICE OF REASON says
Hiding behind a woman. Not much of a man in my book.
steve wood says
I hope he does not get another deferred chance after physically injuring someone. Its sad someone like him gets so many chances and maybe next time he will murder someone as dui is murder.
Bob Fortier says
Being familiar with the White Eagle, I am surprised that the bikers didn’t go out and give this guy his sentence. Probably should have though.