The state dropped an impaired driving charge against a Lamborghini driver who spun out of control through an intersection in Holmes Beach and twice ran off the road.
The driver, Kiri Stewart, of Bradenton, was southbound on Gulf Drive at 1:29 a.m. Dec. 29, 2018, when she took a wide left turn at the Manatee Public Beach and proceeded to crash the Lamborghini on Manatee Avenue, according to a Holmes Beach police report.
She accelerated, swerved off and back on the road and nearly hit two vehicles before she braked, spun 180 degrees and hit the signs on the right of way, according to the report.
Neither Stewart or her passenger, Shawn Kaleta of Holmes Beach, were injured.
The 12th Circuit State Attorney Office filed a notice Aug. 21 dropping the case.
Assistant State Attorney Cynthia Pritchett wrote in a memo that the state lacked evidence to prove the charge due to the arresting officer’s failure to “switch hats” from a traffic crash to a DUI criminal investigation, rendering evidence from the scene inadmissible.
Stewart declined a blood-alcohol test.
The case was up for hearing before Stewart’s attorney, Jason Miller of the Najmy Thomas Bradenton law firm, filed a motion to suppress evidence.
The motion asked the judge to bar all evidence because police failed to properly advise Stewart of the criminal investigation and her Miranda rights.
Miller said the state attorney agreed with the motion and complimented the state for not going forward.
Stewart has since sold the vehicle, which, according to the police investigation, sustained $150,000 damage. Miller said his client learned a “tough lesson.”
“It’s a big lesson to learn — that is, you don’t drive like an idiot because people are going to think you’re drunk,” Miller said.
I dont know this business man, yet have heard of his business accomplishments. So its w/no bias i comment…
People that accomplish “much” in business do so at huge financial risks Perhaps that others avoid by choice! These are the same people who employ the community, pay huge tax bills & grease the local economy ! Consider this, sometimes these business people can & do spend their hard earned resources to protect the assets they have acquired & those they care about. Its our judicial system which often isn’t fair to a wide range of citizens. Unfortunately to protect yourself , u must be financially capable!
The vast majority of the
public can’t afford protection w a 1st class law firm nor seek the “wise counsel” of other professionals. You can & people often do become resentful of success of others who have paid the hi price of success. One thing i know is that hard working people are often vilanized for their achievements ! Other less accomplished people/citizens go about their business become jealously caustic of others success! This individual chose to defend his dear friend & had-has all resources to do it! No doubt this course of legal maneuvering & action was necessary because of a costly , maybe embarrassing accident /incident. I say “hail to those who have the resources, savvy & ability to protect them themselves from an isolated situation”. Perhaps poor choices , no doubt were made! EVERYONE, including these people have the right to protect themselves against against the vigilante type thoughts that others perceive.
Miranda rights are basic. So is building code enforcement. No wonder he gets away with so much. If we had our act together neither he nor anyone else could play fast and loose with the rules smart lawyers or not. I saw the video and found it inconclusive.
how convenient of the charges being dropped! $300K+ car driven recklessly, causing property damages, refuses breath test and walks away ‘scott-free’, wonder what govt officials kid this one was? nice work, keep using those cameras to bust poor people without current reg tags, cause that saves lives! #shameonbuyouts!
I guess Shawn Kaleta really does have a get out of jail free card?
It’s called a smart lawyer. And he was the passenger. The video doesn’t lie.
Smart lawyer or crooked lawyer?