Kirby
DUI, "Taken Care Of?"
Rumors Squashed: State Attorney
Siegmeister, "If Mr. Kirby wants his day in court, I am
going to give it to him."
Posted May 31, 2013 03:00 am
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Kevin Kirby DUI arrest has been a topic of conversation among County employees and others since April 14th, when at approximately 1:30 Sunday morning, he rolled his truck on a dark country road just .6 mile from his driveway and his sleeping wife and baby daughter.
Candidate and now State Attorney, Jeff Siegmeister.
From the reports and the video, it was not a pretty sight. Right from the start, Mr. Kirby was telling folks, "It was taken care of."
Today, the Third Circuit's State Attorney, Jeff Siegmeister, who campaigned against the good ole' boy cronyism that has been a hallmark of Columbia County forever, squashed that rumor. He told the Observer, "It's a trialable case and if Mr. Kirby wants his day in court, I am going to give it to him."
In our first article on the Kirby DUI arrest, the Observer wrote: "One local police officer, speaking under the condition of anonymity told the Observer, "'My experience has been that when the FL Highway Patrol (FHP) busts you for DUI, you are busted and going to jail. They play no favorites.'"
The FHP reports:
•
FHP Arrest Report
•
FHP crash report
On Tuesday, the Observer went through the statements taken by FHP trooper E.R. Williams on the morning of April 14, 2013.
Columbia County Sheriff's Deputy J. Snipes swore to the following:
As I arrived on scene and exited my patrol vehicle I saw a w/m (white male) later identified as Kevin D. Kirby standing by his overturned truck. I observed that Mr. Kirby appeared to be unable to maintain his balance to the point he grabbed ahold of the truck’s tailgate in order to maintain his balance. While watching Mr. Kirby I further saw he was constantly swaying trying to maintain his balance.
Kimberly Finnegan of Lifeguard Ambulance swore to the following:
On Sunday morning at approx 02:30 am I responded to a rollover MVA on Siloam Street. Upon arrival I found Mr. Kirby standing upright outside of his vehicle. I completed my assessment on Mr. Kirby and Mr. Kirby stated he was the only occupant in the vehicle and that he was the restrained driver. Mr. Kirby stated he was not injured and that he had no medical complaint. Mr. Kirby was able to answer all questions correctly in order to refuse medical transportation by EMS. Mr. Kirby approached me while we were waiting on law enforcement and fell onto me. Because Mr. Kirby fell onto me I could smell ETOH. PT had urinated on himself as well. Mr. Kirby had two coolers outside of his vehicle that he picked up after thy spilt (illegible) the accident. I witnessed Mr. Kirby place liquor bottles back into the cooler.
In an additional section of the report it was stated: Mr. Kirby can be heard mumbling something about the crash. Eventually Mr. Kirby can be heard saying “I swerved to miss that dog.”
State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister on the record
In November, then candidate for State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister ran against the good ole' boy cronyism that has been a hallmark of Columbia County forever and to bring change with confidence to the Third Circuit.
The Kirby DUI arrest and the propaganda that Mr. Kirby had something taken care of didn't sit well with anybody, apparently including the new State Attorney for the Circuit.
Yesterday afternoon, State Attorney Siegmeister told the Observer, "If the guy wants to take the first DUI minimums plea, that’s what he’ll be offered like anybody else. I haven’t seen a plea so we are preparing for a trial in the absence of a plea."
SA Siegmeister continued, "I have neither love nor animus toward Mr. Kirby. I don’t know him and I am treating him like any other citizen charged with DUI under the circumstances. Because I’ve been around for 20 years, we’ve probably been together, but I don’t know him and wouldn’t if he ran me over."
The Observer, "It must be a tough job balancing the pressures of the past and making sure justice is served."
SA Siegmeister, "I have been preparing for this job for my whole life. I answer to Lady Justice, that blindfolded lady holding the scales of justice, and of course to God."
SA Siegmeister continued, "It’s a trialable case and if Mr. Kirby wants his day in court, I am going to give it to him. Then it is going to be up to a jury to believe if he was drunk or not."
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