Man charged with DUI manslaughter in ’18 crash
An Orlando man whose SUV was filled with empty beer bottles has been charged with DUI manslaughter 1 ½ years after a Lake County crash that led to the death of a Groveland man, records show.
Michael Ramos, 24, had a blood-alcohol content of .14%, which is above the 0.08% threshold at which Florida law presumes a motorist to be impaired, according to a Florida Highway Patrol investigative report filed with the court case.
The crash occurred about 3:30 a.m. Feb. 25, 2018, on State Road 33 south of Pace Road about 12 miles south of Groveland.
Chia Pao Chang, 66, died March 14, 2018, at Orlando Regional Medical Center. The cause of death was complications from multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the wreck, according to the medical examiner’s office.
His passenger See Mou Chang, 65 at the time of the crash, was hospitalized with injuries. They were en route to Plant City, according to the report.
Ramos, who also faces several other charges including vehicular homicide, was arrested Aug. 13. He was heading north in a 2005 Ford Expedition and crossed into the path of Chang, who was driving south in a 2004 Chevrolet van, according to FHP.
A trooper saw “several empty 32-ounce Miller High Life beer
cans and bottles” as well as “empty Corona beer bottles” in Ramos’ vehicle, the report said.
Ramos told the trooper he had been drinking earlier but had stopped at 8 p.m. the night before, according to the report, which also said Ramos was unfamiliar with the area as he headed to his Orlando home after visiting his girlfriend in Poinciana.
Earlier, he said he had visited the Fun Spot attraction where he had two or three alcoholic beverages, the report said.
Ramos is being held in the Lake County Jail on $60,000 bond.