Suspect in fatal DUI to be sent to Key West

Lacy Marie Morris sat in a Broward County jail Wednesday, awaiting a trip to Key West. There, she is accused of driving drunk during a crash that killed off-duty Delray Beach Police Officer Christine Braswell and left Officer Bernenda Marc injured.

On the orders of a warrant, Broward Sheriff’s deputies picked up Morris, 32, about 7 p.m. Tuesday in North Lauderdale. She has family and friends in Broward and had planned to turn herself in to authorities in Key West at the end of the week, her lawyer Evan Hoffman said Wednesday.

Braswell, 40, and Marc, 25, were riding a scooter when it collided with Morris’ sedan on April 8.

Marc is out of the hospital, is recovering from her injuries and expects to return to work, Delray Beach Police Spokeswoman Dani Moschella said Wednesday.

“She is incredibly strong,” Moschella said.

Because she faces charges in Monroe County, Morris will not go before a magistrate judge in Broward County.

Monroe County S h e r i f f ’s deputies will take her to Key West at a later date. Exactly when that will happen is not usually shared by law enforcement to protect the security of officers and prisoners.

Morris, of Summerland Key, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 after the crash, Key West police said, citing blood test results they obtained this week. The legal limit is 0.08.

Morris faces charges of DUI manslaughter; DUI with serious bodily injury, DUI with property damage and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, according to jail records.

Once she is returned to Key West, Morris will seek to have bonds totaling $170,000 reduced, Hoffman said.

He said Morris is “distraught” and said they hoped her transfer would happen “as soon as possible. We’re anxious to move forward.”