On Sunday, November 19, 2006, the Miami Dolphins played the Minnesota Vikings at Dolphin Stadium. The Dolphins won 24-20 over the Vikings. David Whiting, who is now 50, was a big fan. He drank beer at the game and then got on I-95 North to head home to West Palm Beach. On the way, he caused an accident. The other vehicle was driven by Boca Raton father was traveling with several of his small children, none older than eight, and two child-care workers. The family had spent the afternoon at Butterfly World, a Broward County attraction that houses thousands of butterflies. The father and his two-year-old were killed. Whiting was subsequently charged with two counts of DUI manslaughter for causing their deaths. He pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced last week.
Paramedics who responded to the scene testified at the sentencing hearing. One overheard Whiting make a phone call to his mother, informing her that he had been in an accident and that he would therefore be late for dinner. He reportedly told her that "somebody died...but at least the Dolphins won." A different paramedic noted that Whiting seemed primarily interested in the fact that the Dolphins won that day. A scientist testified regarding the amount of beer Whiting would have had to have prior to driving that day - in the toxicologist's estimate, 10 or 11 beers to reach 0.22 percent blood alcohol concentration.
Whiting was out on bail for the DUI manslaughter charges for awhile, but had been in jail since June 2007 after picking up another DUI charge while released. He asked the judge to be lenient, saying, "[e]very day I live with this in my head and my heart."
The minimum sentence for the deaths is 33 years in prison, in accordance with state sentencing guidelines. After listening to substantial amounts of emotional testimony from several people, including the victims' family, the judge sentencing Whiting to 35 years of imprisonment. The victims' family had requested life imprisonment.
Original articles on this incident are available here and here.
Paramedics who responded to the scene testified at the sentencing hearing. One overheard Whiting make a phone call to his mother, informing her that he had been in an accident and that he would therefore be late for dinner. He reportedly told her that "somebody died...but at least the Dolphins won." A different paramedic noted that Whiting seemed primarily interested in the fact that the Dolphins won that day. A scientist testified regarding the amount of beer Whiting would have had to have prior to driving that day - in the toxicologist's estimate, 10 or 11 beers to reach 0.22 percent blood alcohol concentration.
Whiting was out on bail for the DUI manslaughter charges for awhile, but had been in jail since June 2007 after picking up another DUI charge while released. He asked the judge to be lenient, saying, "[e]very day I live with this in my head and my heart."
The minimum sentence for the deaths is 33 years in prison, in accordance with state sentencing guidelines. After listening to substantial amounts of emotional testimony from several people, including the victims' family, the judge sentencing Whiting to 35 years of imprisonment. The victims' family had requested life imprisonment.
Original articles on this incident are available here and here.
