Florida man says he had 4 beers before a crash that killed a cyclist near Tampa, but he tells troopers the rider was in the middle of the road
Michael Barr now faces a DUI manslaughter charge after a fatal crash in Florida. Hillsborough County records show the 37-year-old remains in the Falkenburg Road Jail without bond. The DUI manslaughter charge carries far heavier penalties than a standard DUI charge after a crash, as Florida treats a death caused by an impaired driver as a felony.
The crash happened shortly before 3:30 a.m. Saturday near Gibsonton, an unincorporated community just south of Tampa, according to Law & Crime. Barr was behind the wheel of a Mazda sedan when he hit a cyclist traveling along the west shoulder of U.S. 41, troopers reported. The victim died at the scene, and authorities have not released his name.
Barr stayed at the scene after the impact and told troopers the cyclist was allegedly in the middle of the road. However, troopers dispute that account, as their arrest affidavit states that the victim was on the shoulder of the road when the collision occurred. Barr eventually told officers he had been at a bar in Ybor City, which is about 10 miles north of the crash site. He allegedly admitted to consuming four beers that night. He then performed field sobriety exercises for the troopers on the scene.
Troopers say Barr admitted to four beers before he got behind the wheel
Investigators noticed signs of impairment when they interacted with the driver, according to the affidavit. They detected the smell of alcohol coming from him. Troopers also noted that he had bloodshot and glassy eyes along with a lack of balance.
According to the court document, Barr showed signs of impairment during these tests. His breath test registered a blood alcohol level of 0.162, roughly double Florida’s 0.08 legal limit for most drivers, the affidavit says. Troopers arrested him on the DUI manslaughter charge shortly before 4:30 a.m., about an hour after the crash.
A DUI manslaughter conviction in Florida means at least four years in prison
Under Florida law, DUI manslaughter applies when an impaired driver causes or contributes to a death. The offense is a second-degree felony carrying up to 15 years in prison and a four-year mandatory minimum. A DUI manslaughter charge becomes a first-degree felony if the driver leaves without rendering aid, which likely does not apply as Barr stayed at the scene.
Florida recorded 208 cyclist deaths in 2024, about a fifth of the 1,103 killed nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The state’s rate of 0.89 deaths per 100,000 residents was nearly three times the national rate.
State law treats a bicycle as a vehicle with the same rights as a car, per the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Riders moving slower than traffic must use a bike lane or keep to the rightmost side of the road. However, a cyclist may take the full lane when it is too narrow to share safely.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
