A 19-year-old has been charged with DUI manslaughter, following a deadly incident last December where a pedestrian was struck and killed in Fort Lauderdale. Brandon Robert Gunn, according to Local 10, is accused of hitting the pedestrian while driving at high speeds on East Sunrise Boulevard.
Records revealed that Gunn was behind the wheel of a silver Ford Focus when he hit a person crossing at a crosswalk around 4 a.m. on Dec 27, 2024. The force of the impact reportedly sent the victim sliding more than 300 feet from the site of the crash, where they were later pronounced dead. Gunn allegedly told authorities he was driving "55 mph," contrary to evidence suggesting the car was traveling around 83 mph in a 35 mph zone at the time of the airbag deployment, NBC Miami reports.
The arrest report, obtained by NBC Miami, noted the extensive damage to Gunn's vehicle, and that the damage was "consistent with the vehicle striking a pedestrian at an excessive speed." Additionally, Gunn, who initially denied drinking, displayed "bloodshot watery eyes and an odor of alcoholic beverage" and was later found to have a blood-alcohol content level of .127%, exceeding Florida's legal limit of .08%.
The individual Gunn struck was not named in police reports, but was identified as a flight attendant for American Airlines, also attending school with aspirations to become an airline pilot. Gunn's bond has been set at $75,000, and he has been granted permission to drive solely for work purposes. According to court orders, he must surrender his passport and abstain from drugs and alcohol while also being subject to electronic alcohol monitoring.
