Ocala teenager faces drunk driving charges after fiery crash that killed husband and wife

OCALA, Florida. – A 17-year-old is charged with manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol and negligent homicide following a fire accident in February that killed a married couple, according to Ocala police.

Police said they were called to the crash near the 1500 block of Southeast 36th Avenue at about 8:23 p.m. on February 20.

According to a press release, the couple’s Mazda Miata was already engulfed in flames when police arrived. The man was thrown from the vehicle while the woman was trapped inside. Both were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

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The driver of the Mercedes-Benz SUV – later identified as 17-year-old Frank Scudder IV – was taken to hospital with serious injuries, police said.

According to the press release, investigators found that “Scudder was traveling at over 120 mph just prior to the crash and showed no signs of braking.”

According to police, a blood test showed that Scudder’s blood alcohol level at the time of the accident was 0.188 per mille, more than twice the legal limit.

Ocala police said Tuesday that Scudder was arrested and charged with two counts of manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and three counts of criminal damage while under the influence of alcohol.

“Driving-related accidents have serious consequences for our community. We take these cases seriously and are committed to bringing justice to victims and their families,” Ocala police said in a statement.

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