A Duval County judge has denied a defense motion to throw out blood-alcohol evidence in the DUI manslaughter case against Logan Fletcher Park, the 24-year-old Jacksonville man accused of killing math teacher Mitchell Patch and his 1-year-old son, Everett, on Baymeadows Road. The ruling, issued Tuesday, came as prosecutors build their case ahead of trial.
Park's defense filed a motion concerning evidence in the DUI manslaughter case, according to News4JAX. Under the U.S. Supreme Court's 1978 ruling in Franks v. Delaware, a defendant must make a substantial preliminary showing that an officer knowingly, intentionally, or with reckless disregard included false statements or omissions in a warrant affidavit before a judge will even grant a suppression hearing, as explained by Landsman Law. If the remaining, unchallenged portion of an affidavit still supports probable cause, the same legal standard requires a judge to uphold the warrant.
The crash that set this case in motion happened at roughly 8:30 p.m. on May 16, 2025, as Patch carried Everett across the 4100 block of Baymeadows Road after the pair left Wicked Barley Brewing Company. Park, driving a Honda Civic, was involved in the crash near San Jose Boulevard and Baymeadows Road. Both Patch and his son were pronounced dead at the scene.
What the Judge Found in the Blood Evidence Dispute
At the center of the fight was how detectives learned Park's blood-alcohol level in the first place. Park's blood was tested at a hospital, and a traffic homicide detective observed only that Park's pupils appeared dilated with no other signs of impairment during that initial hospital encounter. The defense questioned how the information about the blood-test results was obtained.
The defense motion also concerned the blood-test evidence.
The judge denied the motion concerning the blood-test evidence as the case heads toward trial, where Park faces two counts of DUI manslaughter after pleading not guilty in December 2025.
A Seven-Month Investigation Before Charges Were Filed
Park was taken to a nearby hospital after the crash, and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit, coordinating with the State Attorney's Office, conducted a seven-month investigation before building the case. Park turned himself in on Sunday, November 9, 2025, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, and he was arrested in early November 2025 before pleading not guilty the following month.
If convicted, Park would face penalties.
Patch's Death Sparked a Push for Safer Streets
Mitchell Patch taught math at Bayview Elementary School, and his death prompted public tributes from school leadership and colleagues across Duval County Public Schools, with Principal Kelly York publicly praising his dedication to teaching and students, according to Action News Jax. A GoFundMe campaign set up for Patch's surviving wife, Mary, who worked locally as a fitness trainer, has raised more than $150,000, per the St. Johns Citizen.
The deaths also renewed scrutiny of traffic safety along Baymeadows Road.
Pedestrian safety along Baymeadows Road was also discussed after the crash.
