Man Faces Life in Prison for DUI Manslaughter; Pleads Guilty for Five Year Sentence

Earlier this year, Justin Jones pleaded guilty in a Hillsborough County courtroom to the DUI manslaughter of his best friend Dustin Alderman. Alderman was to have been a groomsman in Jones’ wedding 11 days after the October 19, 2008 accident. Jones was sentenced in Tampa last week.

Charged with DUI manslaughter, three counts of DUI with serious bodily injury and two counts of DUI with property damage, Jones would have faced up to life in prison had a jury convicted him. By negotiating a plea deal with prosecutors, Jones was instead sentenced to five years in prison followed by 10 years’ probation.

The accident occurred after a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. Jones and his groomsmen left the stadium in Jones’ SUV. According to authorities, Jones ran a red light and collided with a semitrailer truck. Alderman was killed; the other passengers were injured.

Jones’ blood alcohol level was 0.13% but he maintained that he didn’t know he was impaired. He saw the car in front of him turn right and proceed into the intersection. In the midst of postgame traffic, Jones thought the light had turned green.

Police reported smelling alcohol on Jones’ breath after the wreck. The report also stated that Jones’ eyes were glassy and bloodshot and his speech was slurred. Jones was reportedly unsteady and refused to perform a field sobriety test.

Under Florida DUI law, impairment is presumed with blood alcohol levels of 0.08% or higher. Conviction of DUI manslaughter in Florida carries a mandatory minimum of four years imprisonment. The maximum sentence on that charge is 15 years in prison. Jones also faced five year prison terms on each of the three DUI with serious physical injury charges and one year incarceration on each of the DUI with property damage counts.