Husband of Victim in DUI Manslaughter Still Waiting for Extradition Ten Years Later
Our Fort Lauderdale car crash attorneys were interested to see a recent article about a Broward County husband who’s still waiting for his wife’s killer to serve prison time. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel ran a story April 24 about Richard Sheppard, whose wife Dawn was killed in a drunk driving accident on May 26, 2000. The driver, Trent Albury, was high on GHB, the so-called “date rape drug,” when he hit the driver’s side of Dawn Sheppard’s minivan, killing the 44-year-old mother of two. He was convicted of DUI manslaughter in 2001 and was supposed to serve 13 years in prison starting in 2003, but instead fled to his native Bahamas. He has been fighting extradition there ever since.
Before driving that day, Albury allegedly drank juice laced with GHB, which he got from a bodybuilder roommate who used the drug to stimulate growth hormones. His former attorney in the United States said he didn’t realize the juice was drugged; the roommate said Albury bought a gallon of the juice the day of the crash. At least 10 witnesses called 911 the day of the crash to report his swerving and dramatic changes in speed. After fleeing Florida, Albury was arrested in the Bahamas and jailed for 14 months. However, he’s currently out on bail while he appeals extradition to the Bahamian Supreme Court. That process could take years, the article said. The extradition treaty between the Bahamas and the United States means Albury may not face any additional charges if he is returned. Albury’s lawyer in the Bahamas said the 13-year sentence for DUI manslaughter was draconian.
As Miami auto accident lawyers, we imagine that Richard Sheppard must be feeling frustrated by the extreme slowness with which the wheels of justice are turning in his wife’s case. Prosecutors in Palm Beach County can’t do much until Albury exhausts his appeals in the Bahamas, which means there is literally nothing else that U.S. criminal authorities can do right now. However, the Sheppard family may still be able to seek justice through the civil courts, by suing Albury in absentia. A civil trial cannot put irresponsible drivers in prison, but it can give their victims a chance to put them on trial when the criminal justice system cannot or will not do so. It can also extract a penalty -- financial payment -- regardless of what may have happened in the criminal courts. Financial payments can never bring back a lost loved one, but they can help families place the responsibility for serious accidents where it belongs -- with the irresponsible, intoxicated drivers.
Based in South Florida, Law offices of Sebastian John Balliro, P.A. represents people who were seriously injured or lost a loved one in car crashes throughout the state of Florida. At their worst, car accidents are devastating, changing the lives of victims and their families forever by causing permanent disabilities or sudden deaths. They can also be very expensive, causing thousands of dollars in medical and funeral bills through no fault of the victims’ own. Our West Palm Beach car wreck lawyers help families hold the irresponsible drivers legally and financially responsible for those injuries. In a lawsuit, victims may claim damages for their physical injuries, emotional trauma and pain; any permanent disability or disfigurement; a wrongful death; and all of their financial costs, including future financial costs and a lifetime of lost income.
Balliro offers free consultations to all potential clients, so you risk nothing by speaking to us about your case and your legal options. To set one up, please contact us through the internet or call 1-866-INJURED toll-free from anywhere in Florida.
