Cape man sentenced to 11 years in DUI manslaughter
A Cape Coral man is serving nearly 11 years in prison in connection to a 2009 traffic accident that left one person dead.
Andrew Worner Curl, 28, of 1008 N.E. Ninth St., pleaded no contest to DUI manslaughter and DUI damage to person or property in March in the death of Shawn M. Hough, 27, of 1928 S.E. First Terrace. Curl pleaded to the court.
Samantha Syoen, spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office, reported Thursday that Curl received 131.7 months in prison, as well as an additional 78 days in jail on each of the two counts. The sentences run concurrently.
Syoen added that Curl’s driver’s license has been revoked for life.
Assistant State Attorney Daniel Setlow handled the case.
Defense attorney Ian Mann represented Curl.
Mann declined to comment on the case Wednesday.
On Aug. 19, 2009, Curl left a pool hall with Hough as a passenger and they traveled northbound on Santa Barbara Boulevard South, reportedly at a high rate of speed. In the 1300 block, the vehicle drifted and struck the curb.
Curl, who was wearing a seat belt, overcorrected and the vehicle spinned counterclockwise. The vehicle crossed over the median and the southbound lanes before entering a front yard located at 1236 Santa Barbara Blvd. S.
The vehicle rolled and Hough, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected. The vehicle continued to roll, struck the building and landed on top of Hough.
He was pronounced dead at Lee Memorial Hospital from his injuries.
Blood tests revealed that Curl had a blood alcohol content of 0.240 and 0.238. In Florida, a motorist is considered impaired at .08 or greater.