Austin L. MillerOcala Star-Banner
The attorney representing the man charged in the bus crash that killed eight farmworkers told the Star Banner that there's "a lot more factual considerations leading up to the accident that haven't been discussed."
Jack Maro, a longtime defense attorney, did not elaborate. He said he's investigating.
Prosecutors on May 30 officially filed these criminal charges against Bryan Maclean Howard: eight counts of DUI manslaughter and 11 counts of DUI with serious bodily injuries.
Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon is representing the state. In a brief statement, prosecutors said they're going to work diligently for all the victims and their families. Circuit Judge Peter Brigham is overseeing the case.
If convicted as charged, Howard could face 175 years in prison, prosecutors said. He's being held without bail at the county jail.
His next court date is set for 9 a.m. June 18. Usually, with arraignments, defendants who have private attorneys don't show up for court as their lawyers have waived their appearance.
Howard, 41, of Dunnellon, was taken into custody by Florida Highway Patrol troopers after the May 14 crash in west Marion. Howard is accused of being impaired while driving a pickup truck along State Road 40 and sideswiping the bus.
Law enforcement officials said Howard told them he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription pills the night before the wreck. Howard told troopers he was on his way to a methadone clinic in Ocala for treatment and doesn't remember anything about the crash.
Here's a look at some other local court cases that were addressed recently:
State v. Brandon Lee Brown
Judge: Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon.
Lawyer: John A. Kruse
Charge: Failure to appear for jury selection. Assistant State Attorney Tucker O'Neil announced in an arraignment hearing held June 4 that his office has filed the charge.
Does Brown face any other charges? Yes. He's charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, attempted robbery with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
What happened? In March, Brown, who had been released on bond, was scheduled for jury selection in the murder case. He failed to show up and the judge issued a warrant for his arrest.
Brown was arrested in May and is presently at the county jail with no bail. His next court date will be in August.
About the case: Brown, of Summerfield, is accused of shooting Anthony Brady and Zondrey Sesler at a residence in 2018. Brady died at a local hospital.
The 38-year-old man was arrested and remained in jail until June 2023, when he was granted bail. His trial was scheduled for March 24, but Brown skipped the proceedings. He was apprehended by a bail bondsman in Wildwood and returned to the jail.
State v. Timothy Michael Read
Judge: Circuit Judge Tim McCourt.
Charge: Use computer to seduce/solicit/lure child. Prosecutors dropped a charge of unlawful use of two-way communications device to facilitate, according to court records.
Plea: A no contest plea was entered on June 4.
Sentence: 30 months in prison followed by 30 months of probation. He has two days of credit for time already served.
Where's Read now? At the Marion County Jail. He will remain there until he's transferred to a prison facility.
Any special conditions? As a registered sex offender Read cannot have any unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 16, must undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation, and must complete all recommended treatments within 90 days.
What happened? Read and multiple other men were arrested during a sting operation designed to catch adults trying to pick up minors online for sex.
State v. Joshua Logan Sones
Judge: County Judge Tommy Thompson.
Charges: DUI with property damage and DUI with personal injury. Prosecutors dropped the latter charge.
Lawyers: Assistant State Attorneys Robbie Bullara and Sam Militello. Sones was represented by local defense lawyer Jimmie Sparrow.
Why was Sones in court? The former Marion County Sheriff's Office jail sergeant was arrested after officials said he was involved in a crash along State Road 200 in September 2023. Sones was taken to the hospital, but left before he was questioned by authorities.
When was the trial and how long did it last? June 6, and it lasted one day.
How many people were on the jury? Six: four women and two men.
What was the verdict? Jurors deliberated for less than 30 minutes and returned with a guilty verdict for the 47-year-old man.
What was the recommendation? Prosecutors asked for a year of probation, followed by a series of restrictions such as random drug tests at Sones' expense and 80 hours of community service. Sparrow told the judge his client has no criminal history and was a public servant for many years who has lost his job and career. Sones resigned from the sheriff's office last year.
Court: Ocala courts: Charges filed in several major felony cases
What was the judge's decision? The judge ordered Sones to spend 30 days in the county jail and 11 months on probation. He has a day of credit for time already served.
The judge said that while on probation, Sones cannot consume or posses any alcohol or drugs. The judge revoked his driver's license for a year and ordered him to pay the victim $667 in restitution.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
