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Florida officer let impaired driver go. Minutes later, driver killed 2 people, chief says
Police said body camera footage shows officers let two brothers drive away despite possible impairment before a crash killed a mother and son.
- On Tuesday, a mother and her son were killed in Ocala, Florida, after a driver struck their vehicle shortly after police allowed him to leave despite signs of impairment. De Lawn Marshall Duncan, 50, and Eric Derick Maurice McGill, 31, died in the collision near Southeast Maricamp Road and Southeast 36th Avenue.
- Body-Camera footage shows an officer stopping the brothers near State Road 200, where they appeared impaired. Despite the interaction, the officer told them, "Y'all can head on out," failing to conduct a DUI investigation before the fatal crash minutes later.
- The unnamed officer was placed on paid administrative leave while the Ocala Police Department conducts an internal investigation. The State Attorney's Office reviewed the case and determined the officer's conduct was not a criminal matter, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said.
- Attorneys for the Duncan and McGill family expressed appreciation for the Ocala Police Department's transparency but emphasized that "serious questions" remain regarding the officer's actions. The family is grieving while awaiting further accountability as the internal investigation continues.
- Chief Balken described the incident as "devastating" and pledged a thorough investigation, while retired detective supervisor John Gaspar noted officers are trained to assess impairment. Gaspar stated, "It doesn't hurt to do that test," highlighting standard procedures in such cases.
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