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Tammy "Sunny" Sytch appeared in court today for a pre-trial hearing. Sytch, 50, has been charged one count of DUI causing death (DUI Manslaughter, a felony in the third degree), one count of causing death while operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked driver’s license (a felony in the third degree), four counts of DUI causing injury to a person, and three counts of DUI causing damage to property following the March 2022 death of 75-year old Julian Lasseter during a traffic incident in Ormond Beach, Florida.
Back in August 2022, Sytch waived her right to a speedy trial "arising out of the criminal episode made the subject of this prosecution; specifically, the right to be tried within 175 days of her being taken into custody as provided by law and Rule 3.191, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure." At the time, Sytch was given "criminal indigent status", meaning that since she is without sufficient income to afford a lawyer for defense in her criminal case.
On 3/3, the Court issued an order for Sytch to submit to a DNA swab of her cheek.
Sytch's next court date is scheduled for 8/16. That hearing, a reading of the docket, will require Sytch to inform the court whether she is ready to go to trial or not and whether she would like to attempt to enter into a plea deal with the court.
There are several witnesses still scheduled to be deposed next month. We are told the court was slated to make a decision shortly on whether they would allow video testimony.
A civil lawsuit brought by Lasseter's daughter is still making its way to the court. Sytch's fiance James Pente filed a motion to be dismissed from the lawsuit as a defendant on 2/13, arguing that since it has come out that the car Sytch was driving was not owned by him - but by newly added defendant Ultimate Motor Cars LLC out of Florida - that he should not be held liable for "alleged negligent entrustment of the subject vehicle." The original belief when the lawsuit was first filed was that Pente owned the car, which apparently arose from Sytch's arrest report, which listed him as the owner of the vehicle. How that connection (or error) was made, if the car wasn't his, remains to be explained. It seems pretty clear that if Pente didn't have actual ownership of the car, he can't be held responsible for allowing Sytch to get behind the wheel, because he was never in control of that car. The obvious next question is how the dealership let Sytch leave with the car when she didn't have an actual driver's license at the time she took possession of the vehicle. The court has yet to rule on the dismissal motion.
PWInsider.com has also been told that another civil lawsuit has recently being filed against Sytch stemming from the August 2022 traffic incident that led to the passing of Lasseter. We are working to gather information on that suit, said to be brought by another party injured that day.
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