Leyritz arrested in Florida after DUI fatality
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Dec 28, 2007 
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Jim Leyritz was arrested in Fort Lauderdale early this morning and charged with DUI and DUI manslaughter.
According to the AP story, witnesses said Leyritz ran a red light and struck a car, killing a woman.
Leyritz has been working with ESPN Radio 1050 in New York and MLB.com. In recent years he has been pursuing a coaching position with the Yankees.
(This is the photo provided by the police after Leyritz was booked).
Looks like he can throw that dream of coaching with the Yankees right out the window.
Tragic. My condolences to the woman’s family.
My condolences to the woman’s family as well
As for Leyritz, he’s got a long hard road ahead of him but for this he deserves everything that is coming at him. This really angers me, I hope they lock him up for a long time
Call a cab, sheesh, you have the money.
My condolences to the women’s family.
Not the best news I’ve heard this week.
Horrible news.
Tragedy for the victim and their family but when an accident (and to me drunk driving isn’t an accident) or something terrible happens I can’t imagine what’s like to be the person responsible for someone death. In Jim’s case he’s gone 44 years of life thinking that at the end of the day he is a good person who’s never hurt anyone and now he is a killer. Don’t know if I could live with myself. Even if the years went by and it went to the recess of your mind it would pop back up to the front that you killed someone. I would not know how to deal with it.
Thank God Mattingly didn’t end up managing the club, or this lowlife would now be on our coaching staff.
This has been a terrible offseason for ex-Yankees. Come on Jim, you can’t afford a cab?
Prayers go out to the victim and her family. Just terrible.
So let’s see …… the Santana rumors have cooled considerably. No other player transactions taking place of any significance. Much the same with Clemens until the “60 Minutes” segment.
So, let’s just beat the daylights dry out of the Leyritz accident/ in Miami. Outrageous.
oh my god
rex you might need a therapist
This is horrible.
Alcohol is far more destructive than HGH or steroids.
Perhaps this will put the whole steroids (non) issue in perspective.
Uh, Rex, a person is dead because an ex-MLB player, driving while drunk, ran a red light and killed her.
It’s news regardless of whatever else is going on, and should be reported upon.
Bad choice, Jim. You deserve everything that’s coming to you.
Rex – the only thing outrageous is your trivializing of this tragedy. it is attitudes like yours that ensures it will happen again, unfortunately.
Rex, is obviously a dog.
That is an insult to dogs.
Just horrible
Leyritz could potentially face up to fifteen years in prison.
Ain’t nothing trivial about this.
Yeah, when they say alcohol’s not all it’s cracked up to be, they ain’t lying.
Nothing I hate worse than drunk drivers. And most of the time they’re the ones who survive these things. Hope he gets the book thrown at him.
Alchohol is fine Rebecca. It’s the a**holes who get behind the wheel after drinking that are the problem.
Bob–The problem is, alcohol takes even otherwise normal people and turns them into @sses.
Wow, what a complete brain dead idiot
Drunk drivers scare me like no others.
It’s the disturbing knowledge that I or someone I love could be driving competently and responsibly, yet any irresponsible schmo with one shot too many can change our lives irreversibly for the worse in an instant.
They may not deem themselves violent, but the impact of their actions rival that of the most violent and murderous of criminals. And until something like this happens (and sometimes even if), they will never stop doing it.
Rebecca – calm down.
foobar, do you prefer that spelling over Fubar?
I believe Foo and FooBar have their roots in programming and coding, if I’m not mistaken.
Ummm–I am perfectly calm.
I don’t know where you’re getting that I’m not calm from, but I apologize for that, if it’s rubbing you the wrong way.
Brent-
Are you familiar with the Fubar I am referring to? My guess is yes.
Rebecca,
No need to apologize. Ignore the idiots.
Leyritz could also do very little time-6 months to a year. Ever hear of Leonard Little? He killed someone while under the influence of alcohol and was back playing for the Rams making the pro bowl in no time…What a world we live in…
Just a terrible day for the girl and her family….
prayers go out to all of them and the Leyritz family
offtopic, but who started the ‘Lohud Yankees’ fantasy football league on espn over 17 weeks ago? does anyone that joined that league still post here?
i am going to win
Leyritz will be going to jail for a long time.
While Jim should rot in jail I’d be suprised if he didn’t get LESS time than Vick.
Sad really.
The killer, Jim Leyritz, has a 1996 World Series ring because the Yanks took him to back up Girardi rather than the youthful Jorge Posada.
He’s ruined his life, but that speaks nothing of taking hers from her.
Leyritz could do incredibly little time, or a lot.
It depends on how he pleads and yadda yadda I’ve been watching way too much Law and Order.
My guy, however, tells me he will do a fair bit if he’s convicted.
And by guy, I mean gut.
FUBAR, the acronym, predates foo and bar, the iconic variable names.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FUBAR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foo_bar
Why does your guy think he will do his fair bit of time?
hahah ok gut…so why does your gut tell you this?
After all this discussion on PED. Alcohol abuse kills more people than PED. Not much of a pissing contest (no pun intended). But sometimes we need to get our priorities straight. It would be interesting to test our elected reps for alcohol abuse.
Whether he does any time at all remains to be seen and depends on some facts to which we are not privy. For example, was there recklessness in addition to the perceived alcohol use (perceived, because I understand there was no BAC test – I could be wrong, though). What was his demeanor after the accident – how drunk can the DA prove that he was in the absence of scientific analysis? Where was he coming from, and were there witnesses to alcohol use? Was there excessive speed? Was the weather a contributing factor? Is there anything significant about the location – is this an intersection known for accidents, poor visibility, etc.? Was there any other contributing factor? Finally, the DA will look at his prior criminal history, if any. All of this will go into a calculation of the plea offer. Also, for the anticipated wrongful death action, there is likely an issue of contributory negligence since the victim was apparently not wearing a seatbelt.
fubar-
Lol
Correction to above – there was a refusal of a BAC test, but one was taken anyway and the results are pending.
See, the thing about my gut is that it doesn’t tell me why.
That’s why it’s my gut
Say what you want about Drinking and driving. They only become a tragic problem when you mix them. The 1 thing we as Americans have is “Freeedom of Choice”. Make a “Bad” choice. Face the consequences!
I always thought Leyritz was a bit of a character, but likable. This is absolutely tragic- for her, not that a__hole. I had an autographed photo of his on the wall of my bar that I took down this afternoon.
Geez! 20/20 hindsight hope this helps people who may drive drunk this New Years Eve. Remember the life you save may be your own.
He looks like that main villain from The Mummy Returns.
Born in da Bronx…
Let’s test our elected representatives for booze, PEDs, pot, and narcotics.
BTW, I have a free mp3 player called foobar 2000. It’s really good if you have a lot on mp3.
His baseball and media career are over if he’s found guilty of this charge.
Seems that all my baseball heroes have left me disappointed lately. I remember that exact moment he hit that home run off of Mark Wohlers.
I feel very sorry for this woman and her family. Cruel world.
Extremely sad news. I had always liked Jimmy. Seemed like a cool guy (past tense).
Some very poor choices made last night. Jimmy drinking and driving IS INEXCUSABLE. No reason he couldn’t have called a cab. The other poor choice was the girl not wearing a seatbelt, also INEXCUSABLE.
Just think how many lives are adversely effected these poor decisions.
I have no sympathy for Leyritz… he made the choice to drive drunk. Jim Leyritz is an idiot for drinking and driving.My sympathies go out to the family of the victim.
Now thats a scary mugshot.
Maybe someone could explain the reason one refuses to take a breathalyzer?
I somewhat understand that there is no scientific evidence, but aren’t you arrested when refusing as if you were drunk anyway?
I’m just trying to figure out the legal standing. Does it help the defendant, hurt?
Prete – in NY, you are actually charged with an additional crime for refusing to submit to an alcohol test. Also, if there is an accident with a fatal (or likely to be fatal) injury, the police can obtain a court order to take blood even if the driver refuses. If the driver is unconscious, blood may be drawn regardless of consent – consent is implied in NY in the absence of actual refusal.
Having said that, people refuse because they think they have a better shot at beating a “common-law” charge – in other words, one based on the officer’s observations of intoxication (plus witness accounts and the defendant’s own statements, if any). This is not great logic, necessarily, but people who drink and drive aren’t great at making choices, are they?
I guess he can forget that job with the Yankees, dumb jack*ss. What the heck is he doing driving drunk! Too stupid to call a cab, now he ended someones life for his stupidity!
Extremely sad and tragic news. You hate to see your heroes fall like this, but you remember to appreciate your past positive memories of them.
Gotta love the “he should rot in hell” posts. I’m sure the family of young lady who passed away appreciate them. It’s completely besides the point what happens to Leyritz now.
“I can remember my first amphetamine,” Jim Leyritz said during an interview Thursday on XM Satellite Radio. “I was out all night drinking with Andy Hawkins and some of the guys on the team. I was a young player.”
Leyritz, who broke into the big leagues in 1990 with the Yankees, played 11 seasons in the majors with six different teams.
“I came in. I was hung over, sleeping by my locker. And all of a sudden, [Don] Mattingly came to me and said, ‘Hey, you’re in the lineup.’ And I went, ‘What?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, I just hurt my back.’
“Now I’m walking around, I’m going, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to do this. There’s no way that I can go play this game today.’ I ran into my teammate who I knew had some of the ‘little helpers,’ as they called them.
“He said, ‘Take one of these. It should help. It’ll take the edge off.’
“So sure enough, I took one. He goes, ‘OK, you can take two, but no more than two.’ So I popped one more, and I went out and went 3-for-4 with two homers.”
leyritz’s substance abuse problems go way back. it’s too bad someone didn’t intervene.
it’s obvious from his own words that he has had an on going problem.
My sympathies go to the victim’s family. Leyritz needs to get what he deserves. Sad all the way around.
randy l.
wow! that’s an interesting post.
Leyritz using amphetamines does not equate into a substance abuse problem.
tragic!
before everyone throws thier stone, lets remember our early drinking days… how many of us have gotten behind the wheel after having a few… i know i did and luck is the only thing separating me from jim, who always seemed like a nice guy
thanks to my friends i havent had a drink in many years but my heart goes out to everyone involved in such tragedies
Such a shame….I have always liked Jim Leyritz and his gritty play on the field.
I feel for the victim and her family.
Now Im sure the non Yankee fans are thinking of their wonderful little jabs to say,just like they have been saying since the Mitchell Report came out!!!
And I cant wait to remind them that a person died because of this,and that they shouldnt joke about it at all!
“Substance abuse refers to the overindulgence in and dependence on a drug or other chemical leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual’s physical health or mental health, or the welfare of others.[1]
The disorder is characterized by a pattern of continued pathological use of a medication, non-medically indicated drug or toxin, that results in repeated adverse social consequences related to drug use, such as failure to meet work, family, or school obligations, interpersonal conflicts, or legal problems”-wikepedia
xryanx-
how is using greenies to help a hung over athlete play not a substance abuse problem? what’s your definition of substance abuse?
Jim used to be my hero. Now everytime I see the highlight of the 3 run HR against Wohlers I have to think there’s the Ahole who killed an innocent woman because he drove drunk. Sad, sad day for the woman’s family, friends, and all Yankee fans.
Idiot. I always liked The King but no more. He deserves a prison sentence and his baseball pension should be awarded to the dead person’s family.
Have we ever heard of innocent until proven guilty in this country?
No doubt Leyritz is a complete idiot for driving drunk, BUT it’s worth noting that she wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. It’s the LAW and very well may have saved her life. I don’t know what exactly caused her death, but she was ejected from the vehicle, and a seatbelt likely would have prevented that from happening. Believe me, I’m in NO way condoning drunk driving, and I feel HORRIBLE that someone died, but it’s also very dangerous to not wear a seatbelt.
Just wanted to clear up a few things that were mentioned above. All of this is based on my knowledge of the laws in New York because that’s where I practice. But most states have similar laws when it comes to drinking and driving.
Refusing to take a breath test is not a crime in New York. It will, however, result in the loss of your license for six months. When you are arrested for drunk driving, you are asked if you are willing to submit to a breath test and you are informed of the consequences of failing to do so. (Six months license revocation.) People who do not submit to a breath test generally do so because they know their BAC is far over the legal limit. Providing a breath sample will only give the DA’s Office relatively concrete evidence of DWI. As someone mentioned, it is actually much harder to prosecute a case without a BAC and most counties will generally give a better plea offer for someone who fails to submit to a breath test. (Sounds illogical, but it’s all based on the evidence.)
If the laws in Florida are consistent with New York, Jim Leyritz was in a different situation. While you cannot get a court order for a blood test in an “average”, non-injury related DWI arrest, the same does not hold for car accidents. Where there is an accident, suspicion of drunk driving, and serious physical injury or death, a court can order that blood be withdrawn from the operator. The blood gets tested at a lab for a result.
One more little pet peeve. Someone mentioned that you are “innocent until proven guilty.” That’s true. In a court before a jury of your peers. That’s not the standard on a message board. People discuss criminal cases all the time.
Every paper and headline I see says “FORMER YANKEE CHARGED….” He did play for other teams you know!
Jim did not choose to kill someone. He chose to drive while under the influence of alcohol, something that I trust the majority of people ranting on this page have done at least once. Unfortunatley for him and the other driver, the consequence of that choice on that particular night was a fatal accident. What a truly empathetic person would be doing right now is feeling for everyone involved, including Jim and both families. To read the angry reactions on this page and the idiotic classifications of Jim as some sort of monster really disappoints me. It’s as though humanity hasn’t evolved in the past 3000 years. Try thinking about things in a more constructive manner, instead of spending your time throwing rocks at someone and wishing the worst for him/her out of your own inability to appropriately deal with your feelings about the situation. Obviously, I’m still stuck in a world of monsters.
Drew: I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. If the defendant in NY submits to a BAC test, he will get charged under the BAC DWI statute and common law DWI; if not, he will get charged as a refusal and common law DWI. Common law is more difficult to prove, but far from impossible, particularly if the supporting dep is detailed. I’m sure youve seen in many times, especially if you practice north of NYC.
If you get nailed for driving drunk n NYC, they confiscate your car in addition to the rest of the legal trouble you’re already in. They don’t give the car back and they don’t pay you for it. As far as you’re concerned, it’s gone for good with nothing in return. If you owe money on the car, you’re not suddenly exempt from paying your loan to your creditor.
I think they still keep the car even if it’s not yours, so drunks can’t just trade cars and get them back. Whoever owns the car is screwed and would be on their own to get $$$ from the drunk to pay for the car.
Although this penalty is harsher on Porsche owners than Hyundai owners (just for example) it’s a good deterrent that’s be worth considering on a national level. Still wouldn’t be enough for some morons though.
I understand that in Japan, you lose your license permanently with your first DWI. I wonder if any place in the world goes as far as a death penalty for a DWI death.
Hopefully Leyritz can be a wake up call for those who may not even realize they need it. Unfortunately it’s too late for the girl he killed.
JJNJ – Hallelujiah on the seat belt law. Agreed it still doesn’t clear a drunk driver … drunk drivers are just another reason to wear the dang thing. My car doesn’t move unless belts are on.
Those ’96 Yanks sure have gotten themselves into some trouble huh?
Pettitte, Fielder, Straw, Gooden, and now Leyritz.
…………Steve Howe
the deeper issue to this tragic situation is that drug and alcohol abuse is an ongoing baseball problem. dan naulty , a pitcher on the ’99 yankees spoke recently of his alcohol and steroid use and was suicidal after the yankees won the world series. the head of the yankee at this time last year was steven swindall until a dui removed him from the steinbrenner family and the yankees . la russa had his dui. the death of the st louis player. it goes on and on.
it’s not just a peds problem in baseball. it goes deeper than that. it’s not good for the individuals involved like leyritz or the people who are affected like the woman killed. i think it’s as much a systemic problem as it is a problem of bad personal choices of the individuals .
we all heard of the rumors of melky/cano hangovers after a night of partying. if there’s any truth to it at all what’s up with the culture of the yankees that allows it ? it’s just not healthy for anyone involved to let alcohol and drugs be as much a part of the game as they are.
Everyone knows its not limited to one team … or to baseball … or to jocks in general. Non jocks often party too much and make these mistakes too.
nypd113th-
this isn’t the issue to be talking yankee/red sox trashtalk. to try to make points for one side or the other from a tragic incident shows a complete lack of empathy for the victim on your part.
you own a bar. what’s your position on drinking and driving? mine is real simple. if i drink i, don’t drive.
Gotcha Ellen. Although there is no “Refusal” DWI. I’m not sure if that’s what you meant by Common Law DWI, but I think it is. And you are right. It’s not impossible to prove a common law DWI beyond a reasonable doubt, but it’s extremely more difficult unless you’ve got a lot of other extreme facts. (terrible driving, stumbling over during field sobriety tests, etc.) The accident in this case would probably qualify an extreme set of facts. I’ve prosecuted my share of Common Law DWI cases and jurors just seem to need that BAC. I think it goes back to their own feelings of “been there, done that”. Had a few beers; I was fine.
I’m not sure how much I buy into the theory that this is a baseball culture problem so much as a societal problem that extends into every walk of life including baseball. I know most people here have been out on a Friday or Saturday night. There’s some serious drinking that goes on in this country. That’s neither a criticism or a praise. It is what it is. And we are a country that relies heavily on our own personal modes of travel.
Raja – There’s something ironic about your post and I’m not quite sure what it is. In weighing a guy like Leyritz against a few posts saying he should “get what he deserves,” you view this as a “world of monsters” because of the latter? Regardless of the outcome of his criminal case, Leyritz did not intend to kill anyone. But it looks right now like he made some bad bad decisions that led to the death of a young woman. He does deserve some consequences and perhaps some compassion at some point. But the posters who want him to be held accountable? Those are the “world of monsters”? That’s just….odd.
“you own a bar. what’s your position on drinking and driving? mine is real simple. if i drink i, don’t drive.”
I agree.
However, it is a problem that will always exist, no matter how many precautions are taken.
I do agree with NY’s more severe DWI penalties.
randy I.
Just what I was talking about in my post at 8:14AM this morning.
Awful. This is one of those stories without a silver lining. Both families are devestated. The poor woman had her life snuffed out for no reason. JL did something without thinking of the consequences. What a terrible thing.
Drew – I see your point, as well as evidence of your law background. You make one major assumption and use some interesting wording in painting my response to be more ironic than it really is. I’ll leave it at that for now. Ultimately, what it tells me is that I should have just left the last line out… which is really irrelevant to my point anyway, as I’m sure you understood. As for me, JL will have both my understanding of his need to deal with consequences, which are none of my business, and my compassion, which is entirely my business.
Drew – I totally agree. DWIs are harder to prosecute than people think without that reading.
Leave me out of this.