Madelyn Cherie Restivo was convicted of Vehicular Homicide, DUI Manslaughter, DUI Serious Bodily Injury, Reckless Driving Causing Serious Bodily Injury, and DUI Person/Property. She was sentenced to just over 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation.
She also had her driver’s license permanently revoked, was ordered to attend DUI school, and pay court costs and fines.
The defendant pled open to the court in Collier County. This is not a plea agreement. Every defendant has the right to make a plea straight to the court, for sentencing by the Judge, giving up their right to a jury trial.
This case involves a crash that happened on August 3, 2020, just after 2 a.m. A car driven by the defendant, drove into the back of a semi-truck on I-75 at an estimated speed of over 100 mph. At the time of the crash her blood-alcohol level was over three times the legal limit. The crash happened near the Golden Gate Parkway exit. A front-seat passenger in her car was seriously injured and the backseat passenger died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol investigated the crash scene.
Assistant State Attorney Mara Marzano, of the Homicide Unit, and Assistant State Attorney Sarah Woodward prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office