Man Sentenced Over Crash That Killed Florida Firefighter

DeLAND, Fla. - A man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crash that killed an Orange County firefighter.

Raymond Thomas Youngblood was sentenced Monday. He pleaded no contest to DUI manslaughter and was adjudicated guilty.

An e-mail left with his attorney was not immediately returned, and there was no answer at his office.

The 62-year-old Youngblood is accused of driving the wrong way in Feb. 2009. He crashed into firefighter Michael Priester's motorcycle, and then dragged Priester as he continued to drive until eventually crashing into a building.

Priester, who was on his way home from work, died at the scene.

After his prison term, Youngblood will be on probation for three years and his driving privilege has been revoked for life.
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Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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thats bullshit he deserves be imprisioned for life its bad enough we get killed by the job on average now we got idiots running firemen over make him a example
There already is an example, the firefighter in Delaware who got killed working on a patient by a paraplegic operating the pedals with a stick. He's got life in prison + 20 years, life is the minimum sentence in Delaware for killing a firefighter, the 20 years from aggravated assault and hit and run or something.
oh wow good well they need that same law all over and as far as that law goes i love it lol
This sentence for killing a firefighter should be mandatory throughout the US.
So because he was an off duty firefighter the person responsible should get a longer sentence that if the victim was a teacher or accountant? Firefighters are more valuable than other people?
Jack, Excellent point – thanks for the response. I should have spent more time to write something explaining my take on this.

The death of a firefighter, first responder, peace officer, etc., should not be treated any differently from any other – all life is to be valued. The time I deviate from that opinion is if they are killed in the line of duty. Killing a peace officer carries quite a heavy sentence – justifiably so. Addressing the fact that firefighters and other emergency responders are often “sitting ducks” on the side of the road at an MVA; standing beside fire apparatus at a fire, etc., is another thing. If changing laws to make penalties substantially more severe will deter people from doing things to harm our responders, I think it should be promoted.

Soapbox: Any death attributable to a DUI should be treated, in my humble opinion, as premeditated murder. A person willingly goes out driving whilst under the influence knows there is a possibility of causing harm. They took the chance, took a life, and lost their freedom … end of story. On that, I stand very firm. Now off of my soapbox.

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