Orange County Man Charged in DUI Death That Killed Two Mothers
A 64-year-old Orange County man was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and DUI on April 29. He posted bond and left Seminole County Jail without saying a word to members of the media who had gathered at the jail. He got into an SUV and waited for his day in court.
The accident happened in February. According to media reports, Terry Dinkins, of Winter Park, Fla., was traveling south on S.R. 436 around 2:30 a.m. About that time, Dinkins crossed the centerline at the intersection of Lake Howell. The vehicle he was driving slammed head-on into a gray Nissan that was traveling in the northbound direction. Several vehicles had swerved to avoid Dinkins prior to the collision.
The driver of the vehicle that was hit, Brandi Cole, 39, was killed instantly. The passenger, Sylvia Barajas, 32, was transported to Winter Park Hospital. She later died from her injuries.
The women were best friends and mothers and had been spending some time together away from their children. Cole was the mother of four children. Barajas left behind three children. Cole was an apartment manager, and worked hard to provide for her family, according to people who knew her. Barajas managed a Big Lots, a discount department store.
Dinkins suffered a concussion during the accident and was disoriented when law enforcement officials tried to interview him. He was not aware that he had killed two women. He was taken to Winter Park Hospital and treated for minor injuries that he suffered in the accident.
Dinkins told law enforcement officials that he had been drinking the night of the accident. A breath test was not administered on the day of the accident, but samples of blood were drawn from Dinkins at the hospital. The blood was shipped to a lab for analysis. Law enforcement officials said at the time of the accident that speed was not a factor.
After the accident, family members of the victims pleaded for charges to be brought against Dinkins and wanted to know why it was taking so long to file charges in the case. Law enforcement officials say it took time for the lab to process the blood samples.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Florida automobile accident, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. immediately at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) for a free initial consultation.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.