Lecanto woman sentenced to serve 10+ years for 2021 DUI manslaughter death of her husband

State Attorney's Office, Fifth Judicial Circuit of Florida
Serving Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter and Hernando counties

Citrus County, Florida - On April 29, 2024, 68 year-old Carol Lynn Tomlinson of Lecanto, Florida was sentenced to serve 124 months (slightly more than 10 years) with the Florida Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol with property damage. The charges were related to a traffic crash that occurred on July 4, 2021 and resulted in the death of her husband, Larry Tomlinson.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Blake Shore.

On July 4, 2021, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Trooper Salvatore Castiglione responded to a two-vehicle accident in Inverness, Florida that occurred at the intersection of West Grover Cleveland Boulevard and South Fireside Way.

Tomlinson was the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the crash, a Chevrolet Camaro. According to FHP Trooper Brian Dokendorf, who assisted in the investigation, the Chevrolet Camaro was traveling north on South Fireside Way, when Tomlinson made a wide right turn onto West Grover Cleveland Boulevard and entered into into the opposite lane, directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle, which the Camaro collided into, head-on.

Mrs. Tomlinson and her husband, Larry, were transported to a hospital for treatment. The driver of the other vehicle was not seriously injured.

While investigating the traffic crash, Trooper Castiglione observed signs of impairment with Mrs. Tomlinson, which included slurred speech and bloodshot, glossy eyes. He also noted the odor of alcohol on her person. Tomlinson also admitted to Trooper Castiglione that she'd been driving the vehicle after consuming alcohol at a barbecue celebration she'd attended a short time before the traffic crash.

A blood sample was taken from Mrs. Tomlinson and sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing. Mrs. Tominson's blood alcohol level results were 0.167 and 0.166 - twice Florida's legal alcohol limit of 0.08.

Lerry Tomlinson passed away, eight days later, due to injuries he sustained in the accident. In August 2021, Mrs. Tomlinson was arrested on the above charges and incarcerated at the Citrus County Detention Facility in Lecanto.

"The tragic consequences of driving under the influence are undeniable," said State Attorney Bill Gladson, of Florida's Fifth Judicial Circuit Court. "The verdict in this case reaffirms that we are responsible for every choice we make behind the wheel, and those reckless decisions can have multiple resounding consequences."