Feb 13, 2009 12:29 pm US/Eastern
Leyritz Booked At Broward County Jail
DAVIE (CBS4.com) ―
-
-
Jim Leyritz is most remembered on the field for hitting a dramatic 3-run home run in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series against Atlanta. He was arrested on Dec. 28 for driving under the influence and being part of a traffic accident.
AP
Former New York Yankee Jim Leyritz was booked into the Broward County
jail on Friday after his bond was revoked.The Broward County prosecutor
said Leyritz attempted to drive after drinking alcohol at least four
times while awaiting trial for drunk driving charges from 2007.
Leyritz, had been free on a pretrial release since the drunk driving arrest. He was allowed to remain free as long as he did not drink alcohol or consume a controlled substance.
But between September and January, records show Leyritz, 45, on four separate occasions attempted to drive his car with alcohol in his system, prosecutor Stefani Newman said.
Leyritz's car is equipped with an ignition interlock system that he has to blow in before starting his vehicle. Newman would not say how she found out about the incidents.
Leyritz's attorney, David Bogenschutz, has filed an emergency motion for a hearing to discuss the matter.
No hearing has been set on the issue, according to Clerk of Courts records.
''I was concerned that this is a public safety issue,'' Newman said. ``He poses a danger to the community.''
Leyritz had only recently received the privilege to drive again after attaining a hardship license over the summer. A court order had prohibited him from driving while he waited for trial, but Gold modified the order, which also halted sobriety tests in Leyritz's home.
The ignition interlock device took the place of the home sobriety tests, Newman said.
''He did stick to the terms for some time,'' she said.
On Dec. 28, 2007, Leyritz was out celebrating his 44th birthday when he allegedly ran a red light and crashed his sport utility vehicle into a car driven by Fredia Ann Veitch, who was just leaving her bartending job in Fort Lauderdale.
Tests later indicated both were driving drunk at the time of the 3:20 a.m. accident.Leyritz's blood-alcohol content was 0.14 and 0.13 when he was tested about three and four hours after the crash.Veitch had a blood-alcohol level of 0.18, authorities said.The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.
Leyritz, of Davie, is charged with DUI manslaughter by impairment and DUI manslaughter by unlawful blood-alcohol level stemming from the crash. He could face a maximum of 15 years in prison and has pleaded not guilty.
Veitch's family filed a civil lawsuit against the former baseball star last year.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
Super Bowl Ad: Snickers & Betty White
Click to enlarge
Broward Housing Values Take A Beating In '09 10 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Comments