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WWE Hall of Famer Tammy Sytch, who is currently serving a prison stint in Florida after being convicted in 2023 on a series of charges in relation to the March 2022 death of 75-year old Julian Lasseter during a traffic incident in Ormond Beach, Florida, including DUI causing death, causing death while operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, four counts of DUI causing injury to a person, and three counts of DUI causing damage to property, filed a motion earlier this month attempting to have her conviction thrown out.
In the motion, which was acquired by PWInsider.com, Sytch argued the following in seeking a review of her conviction, broken down by each claim:
Failure to Investigate Causation: Sytch alleged her defense counsel rendered "ineffective assistance" by failing to investigate and present evidence concerning Julian Lasseter's pre-existing medical conditions, toxicology and "possible alternative causes of death." The motion states, "The incident involved a low-speed collision. Defendant had slowed her speed and was moving toward a turnaround lane at the time of the collision. While the death of the decedent is tragic, the available criminal case materials indicated that the decedent had no significant physical injuries that clearly explained death from the impact itself. Trial counsel did not conduct an adequate investigation into whether the state could prove that the collision legally caused the decedent's death."
Sytch's motion stated that through civil discovery, it was learned that Lasseter had a "substantial and long-standing medical history" including coronary artery disease, stenosis and other serious cardiovascular and internal medical conditions. It was also noted that toxicology records indicated Lasseter had Adderall and Cialis in his system - and that Lasseter suffered fractured ribs consistent with CPR having been administered at the scene.
Sytch also argued, "These records raise a material medical question whether emergency life-saving measures, pre-existing vascular disease, toxicology findings, a spontaneous medical event, or another medical circumstance contributed to or caused the aortic injury, hemorrhage, and death."
Sytch also argued that since her defense didn't properly investigate this or present a qualified expert evidence regarding Lasseter's medical situation, Sytch was convicted. She argued, "there is a reasonable probability that the trier of fact would have harbored reasonable doubt that Defendant's driving legally caused the death; Defendant would have been acquitted of the homicide offense; Defendant would have been convicted of a lesser or non-homicide offense, if supported by the charging document and jury instructions; or Defendant would have received a materially more favorable plea or sentencing outcome. The failure to investigate thus undermines confidence in the outcome of Defendant's cause.”
Failure to Investigate Conflict: Sytch argued that her defense failed to learn that lead Assistant State Attorney, Ashley Terwilliger who helped prosecute her case was married to the physician, Zachary Terwilligee, who declared Julian Lasseter’s death. She is claiming proper defense would have investigated that relationship, whether it should have been disclosed to the defense and the court during her trial and “Whether the relationship created an actual conflict, required disclosure, justified recusal, or required another appropriate safeguard.”
Omitted Evidence: Sytch argued her attorney provided “ineffective assistance” by not learning of the relationship between the Terwilligers, claiming, “Had counsel exercised reasonable diligence, counsel would have discovered the discrepancy, sought full disclosure, investigated medical causation, and litigated the conflict issue before trial or before Defendant entered any plea. There is a reasonable probability that the outcome would have differed if counsel had uncovered and litigated the omitted information. At a minimum, Defendant would have had a meaningful opportunity to investigate the identity and role of the physician, the prosecution's medical-causation evidence, and the prosecutor's potential conflict.”
New Evidence: Sytch argued “The evidence concerning the decedent's medical history, toxicology, CPR related trauma, and the prosecutor's marital relationship to the physician constitutes newly discovered evidence warranting post-conviction relief. “ She also argued that due to lack of funds, she was unable to have counsel who would have discovered all of these facts that have now been unearthed.
In her Motion, Sytch asked that the State of Florida respond, hold an evidentiary hearing, appoint her new counsel if they find that hearing is necessary, “Authorize appropriate discovery or compulsory process concerning relevant medical, toxicology, EMS, hospital, pathology, medical examiner, law-enforcement, and civil discovery records”, vacate her current judgement and sentence, grant her a trial trial or “alternatively grant such other postconviction relief as the Court finds lawful” and ‘grant all further relief necessary to remedy the constitutional violations alleged.”
On 10/21, Volusia County Circuit Court Judge Christian Miller filed an interim order dismissing the motion, citing that Sytch's motion was "facially insufficient", meaning that on the surface, it "fails on its face" by not including all the required facts or elements needed to support the claim. Miller wrote specifically that Sytch failed to comply with the requirements of Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure, which states, "The motion must be under oath stating that the defendant has read the motion or that it has been read to him or her, that the defendant understands its content, and that all of the facts stated therein are true and correct" and that "The defendant shall either certify that the defendant can understand English or, if the defendant cannot understand English, that the defendant has had the motion translated completely into a language that the defendant understands." Since Sytch's Motion was not filed with those parameters, the Court automatically denied it.
Miller also issued a warning to Sytch that if she was successful in having her original negotiated plea cast aside, the State would no longer be bound by it and she could be "exposed to any legal sentence that could be imposed if she is convicted of the charges." This would be in regard to some of the lesser charges that were dropped but could be brought back into existence if Sytch stands trial again. The court noted that with all the charges, Sytch could be facing up to 26 years of incarceration - which would be longer than the initial 17 years, 6 months she was sentenced to in November 2023. Sytch entered a plea of nolo contendere in August 2023. At the time prosecutors had been seeking over 26 years imprisonment. So, the Judge's warning was clear - if Sytch was able to get out of prison to receive a new trial, she could end up in a worse position than she is already in.
Sytch can either file a motion to appeal the dismissal (once it is final) or file a motion to dismiss her claims, thereby preserving her current sentence and not exposing herself to potentially being tried again and getting a longer sentence if convicted on all the original charges.
It should be noted that at her November 2024 conviction hearing, Sytch addressed the Lasseter family, stating that when she sits alone and thinks about what she did to Julian Lasseter, she thinks about the regret of her bad decision and she feels remorse deep inside her soul. She told the family that she knew how her actions hurt them and tore the Lasseter family apart, and said she was truly, truly sorry. At the hearing, she told the family that she knows her words are not enough, but "please know I think about you every day." She turned to the family when she said that. Sytch said she thinks about what happened every single moment of the day and would make the changes she needs to make to make sure this never happens again. No one should have to go through this. She stated at the sentencing that she wished every day she could trade places with Lasseter.
The Ormond Beach Police Department's report on the 3/25/22 incident stated that Sytch (who did not possess a valid driver's license) was driving southbound on U.S. 1 just north of Granada Boulevard and failed to stop at 8:28 PM EST. The report cited that two different witnesses to the crash reported Sytch's car traveling at a "high rate of speed" before crashing into Lasseter’s stopped vehicle after Sytch failed to stop. Lasseter then crashed into a third vehicle. Lasseter passed away after being rushed to the hospital. The driver and passengers of the third vehicle were not hospitalized but all complained of neck, back, side and head injuries.
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 was without sufficient income to afford a lawyer for her criminal defense.
Prior to her arrest, Sytch publicly disavowed responsibility in the traffic incident that caused the death of Lasseter. When asked by a fan, "Question For You: How fast were you going when you slammed into the poor old guy stopped at a traffic light and killed him? His life ended for what reason? Were you on your way to a fire? or drunk? or high?"
Sytch responded, “"Hmmmabout 10 since I was slowing down to. Light. But he had a heart. Attack. Nothing to do with my seizure"
After being arrested in Florida, Sytch took to her Facebook account, writing "If ANYONE says ANYTHING negative about me, you will be blocked and NEVER unblocked. You don't know the real story so don't act like you're some f***ing journalist when all you do is type from your moms basement. Done."
Sytch was arrested on 5/6/22 and bonded out on $225,500 several days later. The State of Florida, alleging Sytch was a "menace to the community", filed a motion asking for Sytch to be remanded back to jail without bond as the case moved towards trial. During a hearing on 5/13/22, officers testified that at the time of the traffic fatality, Sytch's blood alcohol level was three and a half times over the legal limit and that an opened bottle of vodka was found in her vehicle. The night before Sytch was arrested, she was found intoxicated outside a bar and required to be taken to a hospital.
Florida State Attorney R.J. Larizza from the Office of the State Attorney, Florida's 7th Circuit issued the following statement following Sytch's hearing:
"A deadly driver will reside behind bars until her case is resolved. A serious threat to the driving public has been removed."
The March 2022 crash that led to Lasseter's passing was the most recent incident involving Sytch, who had been previously arrested on 2/24/22, charged with eleven different charges, including Operating under the influence of liquor or drug, Driving after Driver’s License/Registration suspended/revoked, Careless Driving - likely to endanger person or property, Reckless Driving, Failure to wear seat equipment - responsibility of driver, Driving without a license, Failure to possess a driver's license, Failure to possess driving registration, Failure to possess an insurance card, Failure to install interlock or drive a car without an interlock, and Operating a motor vehicle during a license suspension - second violation. Sytch pleaded not guilty to all of these charges but the criminal case in Florida led to the New Jersey cases stalling and to this day, was never revived.
In New Jersey, Sytch had been previously arrested on 1/13/22 for allegedly threatening to kill an "intimate partner" while raising a pair of scissors "in the air towards the victim" during a domestic dispute. The police report for Sytch's January arrest stated that she did this in clear view of a police officer who witnessed the incident. The arrest report also stated that Sytch "appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol" during the altercation. Her "intimate partner" was not injured. In that incident, Sytch was charged with two charges of illegally possessing a weapon (the scissors) and one charge of terroristic threats, listed as "occurring during a state of emergency." She was released from Monmouth County Correctional on 1/14/22 after a hearing where she was ordered to have weekly check-ins with the court and that she not possess any weapons.
Sytch commented on that January 2022 arrest via her Facebook page, writing, "I am ok. I am laying low for a bit. But I'm m ok. Don't believe the media. Please don't." She later made the comment private or deleted it.
The January 2022 arrest had been preceded by additional issues in December 2021 in Florida, where Sytch was on vacation to celebrate her 49th birthday, according to postings on her Facebook page. After online records indicated she had been arrested in the Sunshine State, Daytona Beach Police confirmed to PWInsider.com at the time that their officers indeed had several contacts with Sytch on Saturday 12/18/21, the first being a call related to an alleged domestic violence incident and the second being a check into her well being.
Neither contact resulted in an arrest, but Volusia County Corrections in Florida did, at one point, list Sytch as being booked into their facility on Saturday 12/18/21 at 11:14 PM Eastern and then being released the following day, Sunday 12/19/21 at 3:45 PM Eastern. However, the Daytona Beach Police Department stated to PWInsider.com that Sytch was never, ever arrested and that they have no arrest report in their records related to either of the aforementioned contacts. Within a week of returning to New Jersey in January, Sytch was arrested on 1/13/22.
The 2022 incidents and arrests continued a pattern of legal issues for Sytch stemming from numerous arrests over the last decade across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Her legal issues in Pennsylvania stemmed from four different arrests between 2015 and 2016:
*On 5/30/15, Sytch was stopped by Mahoning Township, PA police after being seen driving erratically into a Wal-Mart parking lot. Testing showed she had a 0.25 percent Blood-Alcohol level at the time of her arrest.
*On 6/1/15, Sytch was pulled over after her car crossed the solid center yellow line several times, then entered oncoming traffic on Interchange Road in Lehighton, PA. Sytch was unable to provide proof of insurance or a driver’s license and was identified only after authorities checked records. Trooper Jonathan Lazarchick of the Pennsylvania State Police reported that her eyes were bloodshot and glassy and that Sytch smelled like alcohol. Authorities discovered an open bottle of Coors Light in the passenger side of the vehicle as well as another eleven unopened. The open cap of the Coors Light was on the floor of her passenger's side. Sytch claimed she had been drinking the night before, was driving to pick up milk and eggs and when asked to get out of the vehicle, staggered, had problems with her balance and needed to lean on her car to maintain her balance. Her blood-alcohol content was 0.3 percent.
*On 6/20/15, Sytch crashed her car into a ditch in Towamensing Township at 10:40 PM, claiming to the responding authorities that her GPS had told her to make a "sudden turn", which caused her to turn wide and end up in the ditch. Sytch told authorities that she was unable to back the car back out. Cpl. Shawn Noonan of the Pennsylvania State Police observed the odor of alcohol and bloodshot eyes. He requested Sytch take a field sobriety test, but she claimed to be "in too much pain due to her recently blacking out and falling down the steps." She was placed under arrest for DUI and was given a breathalyzer test back at police barracks. The results of that test were 0.078 percent. This would be the aforementioned arrest where Sytch later claimed she was not arrested due to a "seizure."
On 8/18/16, Judge Matika sentenced Sytch to 97 days in prison, giving her credit for 95 days spent in rehab. The final 60 days were paid for by World Wrestling Entertainment, who had reversed a previous stance that cut her off from assistance via their Wellness Policy after Sytch criticized the choice of rehab facilities WWE had chosen to send her, on their dime, in a DVD interview. Sytch was also given two days' credit for two days spent in jail. In her interview with Apter, Sytch had praised Carbon County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania Judge Joseph T. Matika for being so lenient with her and allowing her to do the time in rehab as opposed to potential jail time.
At the time, Sytch was also sentenced to five years of probation, including a required bi-weekly alcohol testing, 125 hours of community service and $2,100 in fines. Sytch was released without spending a day in prison but was warned by Judge Matika that if she got into trouble at any point during her five-year probation, there would be consequences.
Just 18 days into that five year probationary period, Sytch was arrested in Northampton County, PA. In that case, she plead guilty to driving without a license, driving an unregistered vehicle, operating a vehicle without required financial responsibility (no insurance), displaying plate card in improper vehicle (license plates placed on a car to which they didn't belong), operating a vehicle without valid inspection, and driving without Evidence of an Emission Inspection, which is required in State of PA. Sytch was also fined $1,496.45 as part of an agreement that saw prosecutors drop the most severe charge against her, receiving stolen property. Prosecutors in that case also opted to drop a charge of fraudulent use or removal of registered licensed plates as part of the agreement.
Sytch was rushed from her then-home in Palmerton, PA to Palmerton Hospital on 9/12/16. That day, she was charged with possession of alcohol as well as being under the influence of alcohol - both of which violated the zero tolerance of her probation.
On her Facebook page at the time, Sytch referred to her hospitalization as being related to her pancreas. In Sytch's autobiography A Star Shattered, which was released in February 2016, Sytch wrote that past health issues involving pancreatitis were brought on by her heavy drinking and nearly led to her death in a previous incident. In the book, Sytch wrote that she had been warned by doctors that if she did not stop, it would lead to her death.
Sytch announced via social media that she had been released from the hospital on 9/20/16. Police sources in Palmerton, PA later confirmed to PWInsider.com that just three days later, 9/23/16, Sytch was once again transported to Palmerton Hospital after authorities were called to her home. Court records cite that on that date, Sytch was again charged with being under influence of alcohol, a third violation of the zero-tolerance policy of her August 2016 probation. Shortly thereafter, Sytch was taken into custody (apparently from the hospital) and incarcerated at Carbon County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania.
It was less than six weeks after her five-year probation began.
Sytch remained incarcerated for five months before being paroled in February 2017 after she agreed to, once again, attend a WWE-financed rehab. Upon her release, Sytch was ordered to directly report to an in-patient drug rehab located in Hanover, PA, to successfully complete the program and then complete any after-care recommendations. Sytch was also ordered to report to the Carbon County Probation Office upon completion of the program and to perform an additional 75 hours of community service. At this point, she was now ordered to perform a total of 200 hours of community service.
According to court records, Sytch was informed at the time of her February 2017 parole that the court would have a "zero-tolerance" threshold for the possession, control and consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or non-prescribed medication and as well as "zero-tolerance" for any missed urine screens without a legitimate excuse. Sytch was also warned that a failure to adhere to the Judge's order would result in a petition to revoke her parole.
It appeared to be the beginning of the end of this chapter of Sytch's life.
It wasn't.
Just a little over six months later on 8/22/17, a petition was filed requesting that Judge Matika revoke Sytch's parole. He did. A bench warrant for Sytch's arrest was issued the following day, but officials had been unable to serve the warrant and apprehend Sytch as she was no longer in Pennsylvania.
Instead, Sytch was residing in New Jersey, where the arrests continued.
Sytch was charged with DUI on 1/23/18 at 8:53 PM. She was later charged with DUI and Leaving the Scene of an Accident following a 2/2/18 incident where she was in a car accident at 8:52 AM, allegedly fleeing the scene of the accident. When she failed to appear in court regarding those two DUI arrests, she was arrested in New Jersey again and charged with multiple charges of Contempt - Disobedience/resistance.
While she was being processed for those charged, New Jersey authorities learned that Sytch was a fugitive from justice due to the bench warrant out of her arrest in Pennsylvania stemming from her February 2017 parole being revoked. At the same time, Sytch had been making independent bookings and autograph signing appearances all over the United States prior, including, incredibly, an autograph signing at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA in January 2018, just a 90 minute drive from Carbon County, where a warrant was out for her arrest.
Sytch was transported back to Carbon County Correctional Facility. In March 2018, an order was issued by Judge Matika to remove Sytch from Pennsylvania's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program, a pre-trial diversion program for individuals with limited or no prior criminal record who are carefully screened by the District Attorney's office for admission. This was a program designed to be rehabilitative, as opposed to punishing, in its focus towards defendants.
Sytch remained incarcerated at Carbon County until 10/09/18, where she was again released under probation and agreed to the terms of a payment plan towards financial restitution to the State.
Sytch returned to New Jersey, but just a little over four months later, was again arrested. On Saturday 2/23/19, Sytch was pulled over at 6:30 PM on Dupont Avenue in Seaside Heights. In that incident, Sytch was arrested for driving while intoxicated, the sixth known time since 2015 Sytch had been arrested for such an offense. That evening, Sytch was also given a summons for having an open alcohol container in a motor vehicle, for consumption of alcohol in a Motor Vehicle, reckless driving, failure to stop at a stop sign, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, driving with a suspended driver’s license, and careless driving.
Sytch was released by the Seaside Heights Police Department, but was then immediately placed into the custody of the Holmdel Police Department as she now had outstanding warrants and fines in the jurisdictions of the Holmdel, NJ Police Department stemming from her January and February 2018 arrests in the Garden State. Sytch was now charged with Contempt of court - Disobedience/Resistance of Court Command in relation to each of those warrants.
Sytch remained incarcerated in Monmouth County Correctional Facility in Freehold, NJ until being transferred back to Pennsylvania on 3/20/19. This would make the second time in as many years that Sytch was extradited from New Jersey's Monmouth County to Pennsylvania's Carbon Count because Sytch had violated her parole.
Court records indicated that Sytch had missed a scheduled drug test on 2/11/19 and failed to report as directed to her parole officer. She had also failed to maintain a stable residence or report her whereabouts. This triggered a bench warrant for her arrest in Pennsylvania on 2/15/29. That same day, the Carbon County Probation Department filed a motion to revoke her October 2018 parole, so when she was arrested in New Jersey, she was handed back over to PA, where she remained until she was granted parole again on 2/21/20.
Five months later in New Jersey, Sytch was arrested on the morning of 7/13/20, charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle during a second license suspension, Eluding a Police Officer, and Contempt/Violation of a Domestic Violence Restraining Order. That arrest immediately triggered, yet again, the State of Pennsylvania seeking to revoke her parole. PA court records indicated that until her 7/13/20 arrest, Sytch had been adhering to her parole requirements, including monthly payments of financial restitution.
With Sytch incarcerated and facing charges in Monmouth County Correctional, Pennsylvania did not move to extradite her for a third time. Instead, they rescinded the bench warrant on 5/14/21. Sytch was released on 6/9/21 from Monmouth County, stating the same month that she had resolved all of her legal matters in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Sytch's PA case is currently listed as closed. However, court records in Pennsylvania also indicate that Sytch and her attorney, Brian Gazio, were informed numerous times that Sytch was overdue on payments owed to the Court. Last month, The Court "Determined Responsible Participant is Financially Able to Pay Fines/Costs/Restitution." Those payments are still overdue.
Sytch has been through several personal and legal issues over the last decade-plus, including a period in 2012 and 2013 where she was arrested five times over the span of a month after she violated an order of protection taken out by a former boyfriend in Connecticut on three separate occasions. Sytch was also charged with disorderly conduct, third degree burglary, and three counts of violating a protective order. In that case, Sytch served 114 days in jail before being released, at which point she moved to Pennsylvania.
Sytch was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011 and is considered the original "WWE Diva." She first broke into the business in Smoky Mountain Wrestling in the early 1990s before being signed to WWF as an announcer and later a manager. She left WWF in 1999 to work for the original ECW and had a run in World Championship Wrestling as well. At one point, Sytch was the hottest female talent in professional wrestling and was the most downloaded celebrity on AOL back in 1997. But, that was a lifetime ago.
Sytch is currently slated to be released from Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida in December 2038. The State of Florida does not allow for parole, but Sytch can have her sentenced reduced through good behavior through a "gain-time" system while incarcerated, allowing eligible inmates to earn a reduction in their sentence based on institutional adjustment, work, and participation in programs while behind bars.
In 2025, Sytch filed a motion requesting her prison sentences be modified to run concurrently, so she could be released sooner in order to take a potential paralegal job with Stephen P. Neu, an attorney she was friends with, who also offering her a place to reside. The court denied that request.
Several civil lawsuits stemming from Sytch's 2022 traffic incident have been settled, including one brought against Sytch and others by by the estate of Julian Lasseter.
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