‘Tapout’ Manslaughter Suspect Still in Jail
Loretta Hunt Jul 20, 2009
A preliminary hearing has been set on Sept. 4 for Jeffrey D. Kirby,
the man arrested on March 11 in connection with the death of
“Tapout” founder Charles “Mask” Lewis Jr. The hearing will take
place at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, Calif.
Kirby, 51, pleaded not guilty on May 21 to two felony charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence, said Orange County District Attorney's Office representative Farrah Emami. Kirby, who has remained in custody since his March 11 arrest with bail set at $500,000, faces a maximum sentence of 19 years and eight months if convicted.
Lewis, 45, died in a brutal crash during the early Wednesday
morning hours, which left the clothing company entrepreneur’s
Ferrari ripped in half by a curbside cement pole in Newport Beach,
Calif.
“Kirby is accused of speeding alongside a 2004 Ferrari…,” read the District Attorney’s press release, “… (and) is accused of losing control of his car due to his unsafe speed and crashing into Lewis’ vehicle.”
Kirby, of Costa Mesa, Calif., was also charged with sentencing enhancements for fleeing the scene, after officers found him and a female companion attempting to abandon his damaged vehicle a few blocks away from the crash.
A Newport Beach Police Dept. officer witnessed the accident, which occurred while Lewis was on his way home from the gym with his girlfriend, Lacey Lynn White. White was ejected from the car upon impact and sustained a broken elbow, a broken hip, and multiple lacerations.
Toxicology tests showed that Lewis had no alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of the accident, said the D.A.’s office.
Kirby had a blood alcohol level of .13 two hours following his arrest. The state’s legal limit is .08. Kirby has two prior convictions for driving under the influence in California, in 2002, and Nevada in 1985.
Kirby, 51, pleaded not guilty on May 21 to two felony charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence, said Orange County District Attorney's Office representative Farrah Emami. Kirby, who has remained in custody since his March 11 arrest with bail set at $500,000, faces a maximum sentence of 19 years and eight months if convicted.
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“Kirby is accused of speeding alongside a 2004 Ferrari…,” read the District Attorney’s press release, “… (and) is accused of losing control of his car due to his unsafe speed and crashing into Lewis’ vehicle.”
Kirby, of Costa Mesa, Calif., was also charged with sentencing enhancements for fleeing the scene, after officers found him and a female companion attempting to abandon his damaged vehicle a few blocks away from the crash.
A Newport Beach Police Dept. officer witnessed the accident, which occurred while Lewis was on his way home from the gym with his girlfriend, Lacey Lynn White. White was ejected from the car upon impact and sustained a broken elbow, a broken hip, and multiple lacerations.
Toxicology tests showed that Lewis had no alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of the accident, said the D.A.’s office.
Kirby had a blood alcohol level of .13 two hours following his arrest. The state’s legal limit is .08. Kirby has two prior convictions for driving under the influence in California, in 2002, and Nevada in 1985.
