A man who was involved in a September crash that killed a married couple and their friend has been accused of driving under the influence and speeding when the crash occurred, the Tampa Police Department said.
Ernest Smith, 20, was arrested at his Tampa home at around 4:30 p.m. today. He was charged with three counts of DUI manslaughter and three counts of vehicular homicide, police said.
Detectives determined Smith was driving his 2008 Dodge Charger at 84 mph on 34th Street approaching Chelsea Street. A blood-alcohol test taken at the hospital after the crash showed he was under the influence of alcohol, police said. Florida law presumes impairment at 0.08 percent.
At the intersection, Smith crashed into a 1995 Buick driven by Walter Givens that was on Chelsea.
Givens, 67, died at the scene of the crash, which occurred just after 8:30 p.m. Sept. 2. His wife, Dione Givens, 46, also died at the scene. She was the front seat passenger, police said.
Their friend, Helen Cummings, 58, was in the back seat and was ejected from the vehicle. She was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where she died.
All three victims lived in Tampa.
Smith and two passengers in the Dodge Charger sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Walter Givens had just picked up his wife and Cummings from their jobs at a nearby nursing home and was heading east on East Chelsea.
There are stop signs at the intersection for drivers on Chelsea; there are no stop signs on 34th.
When Walter Givens pulled into the intersection, he obstructed Smith's right of way. But Smith was speeding and driving under the influence, said Laura McElroy, a police spokeswoman.
jpatino@tampatrib.com
(813) 259-7659
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