2 weeks Ago By The Gainesville Sun
A 40-year-old Gainesville man charged in a fatal January 2021 crash on U.S. 441 has accepted a plea deal with prosecutors, court records show.
Under the terms of the agreement, Jason Lee Saul, who was charged with DUI manslaughter in the death of Andra Paul Driggers, will be adjudicated guilty and sentenced to more than seven years in prison followed by seven years of probation. Saul will be given credit for 299 days time served. During probation, Saul must complete a substance abuse course and 100 hours of community service and submit to random drug and and alcohol screenings.
As required under state statute, Saul's driver's license will be permanently revoked. Saul will be formally sentenced by Judge William E. Davis on May 13, after he requested time to "wind up outstanding business obligations.
" More local news: 'Takedown Tesla' protestors gather outside of newly opened dealership According to the June 2022 Florida Highway Patrol warrant affidavit, on Jan. 22, 2021, at about 5:48 p.m.
, Driggers was driving a pickup truck and stopped at the red light at the intersection of Northwest 43rd Street and U.S. 441.
Saul, also driving a truck, rear-ended Drigger's vehicle, which caused it to collide with an SUV. Driggers died as a result of the crash. According to the affidavit, officials determined that Saul was driving at least 63 mph in a 50-mph zone at the time of the collision.
Saul declined to provide a blood sample and told law enforcement that "he did not want the results to cause his parole to be violated," the affidavit says. Troopers did conduct field sobriety exercises and noted that Saul "performed poorly." Blood samples from Saul later obtained through a warrant tested positive for cocaine.
Saul has three previous felony convictions, including for cocaine possession in July 2020. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville man takes plea deal for DUI manslaughter charge.
