Man accused of drunken driving in fatal crash
A man is accused of driving drunk in a Pompano Beach crash that was so violent, it left his Ford Ranger pickup in pieces and led to the death of another driver, authorities say.
Stephen Burns, 24, a former gymnastics coach in North Miami Beach, was brought back to Broward County from his Derby, Conn., home and arrested Monday. He faces DUI and vehicular homicide charges related to the April 3, 2016, crash, according to court testimony.
When deputies interviewed Burns at the crash site on East Sample Road in Pompano Beach, he told them he thought he was 40 miles south on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, looking for gas, Assistant State Attorney Michael Horowitz said Monday during a bond hearing.
Terance Martees Young, 30, of Hollywood, was the other driver in the collision that happened at 4:30 a.m. at the intersection with North Federal Highway.
Young died in a hospice a year and six days after the collision, according to an arrest report.
The Broward County medical examiner’s office ruled Young’s death was caused by complications from blunt head trauma as a result of the crash.
After the crash, Burns’ blood alcohol content was measured at .20, more than two times the legal limit of .08, the arrest report said.
Scott A. Levine, a Fort Lauderdale attorney representing Burns, said, “Obviously it’s going to be a litigated case. It’s a very unfortunate outcome, but we don’t believe our client is responsible for the accident.”
It is not clear if either driver may have run a red light at the intersection with North Federal Highway, according to the investigation.
Before the crash happened, Burns had split a $78 bill with two colleagues at a North Miami bar, and all three friends went to another bar where they stayed until 4 a.m., Horowitz said.
About a half-hour later, Burns’ pickup was traveling east on East Sample Road at 90 mph, where the posted speed limit is 45 mph. Young’s vehicle was southbound on North Federal Highway, and collided with Burns’ truck in the intersection.
The pickup rolled over and stopped moving 135 feet from where the crash happened.
“The crash was so violent it tore the defendant’s vehicle into two pieces,” Horowitz said.
Burns is charged with DUI causing death; vehicular homicide and DUI unlawful blood alcohol level greater than .15.
Broward County Judge Kim Theresa Mollica ordered a $120,000 bond, and said if Burns is released from the main jail in Fort Lauderdale before trial, he is not to apply for a passport, must report to court each month and undergo random drug testing.