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2nd Driver In Bollea Case Guilty Of Reckless Driving

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 29, 2008

CLEARWATER - Danny Jacobs, the man who authorities say was racing Nick Bollea before Bollea crashed his car in August, pleaded no contest Thursday to a charge of reckless driving.

Jacobs, 22, was sentenced to 90 days of probation and fined $500. His driver's license was suspended for 90 days and he was ordered to serve 25 hours of community service.

Authorities say that on Aug. 26, Jacobs was racing Bollea, 17, in Clearwater before Bollea's Toyota Supra hit a palm tree, critically injuring passenger John Graziano. Graziano, an Iraq war veteran, received a severe head injury and remains hospitalized in Tampa.

Bollea, the son of former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, was charged with reckless driving involving serious bodily injury.

His case is winding through the judicial system.

Also Thursday, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Bollea's license should not have been suspended based on a blood-alcohol test taken after the wreck.

The finding did not say how Clearwater police erred in obtaining a blood sample from Bollea.

Ann Nucatola, a spokeswoman for the agency, said Bollea's license remains suspended because of the outstanding reckless driving charge and because of an unpaid traffic ticket.

While disposing of Jacobs' case, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Robert Dittmer told Jacobs that normally he gives those accused of driving recklessly a lecture to serve as a wakeup call before anyone is injured.

Unfortunately, Dittmer said, that scenario has already unfolded.

"You understand when you drive like this you put lives in jeopardy," Dittmer asked Jacobs. "You understand that?"

The Dunedin man said he did.

Dittmer could have sentenced Jacobs to 90 days in jail, the maximum sentence. He said he opted not to because Graziano was a friend of Jacobs' and was grievously injured.

Through his attorney, Jacobs declined comment.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

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