Floral City man sentences to 20 years for the DUI manslaughter death of Inverness woman

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

Citrus County, Florida - On June 28, 2024, 63 year-old Frank Meyer of Floral City, Florida was sentenced to 20 years in the Florida Department of Corrections for his May 10, 2024 conviction of charges related to a traffic crash that took the life of 35 year-old Inverness, Florida resident Jennifer Bossert. The crash also seriously injured her husband who was 37 years-old at the time of the crash. Meyer's charges included driving under the influence (DUI) manslaughter, driving under the influence with serious bodily injury, and driving under the influence with property damage.

Assistant State Attorneys Blake Shore and Kevin Davis prosecuted this case.

"While justice was served with this sentence, no imposed time could ever restore the irreversible loss of life - and that is the true tragedy," said State Attorney Bill Gladson of Florida's Fifth Judicial Circuit . "The consequences of driving while impaired are devastating, and there is no excuse whatsoever."

Shortly before 11:00 pm on June 11, 2022, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers responded to a motor vehicle crash that occurred on South Florida Avenue in Floral City. Troopers determined that a Hyundai sedan, driven by Frank Meyer, had made a left turn, in front of a motorcycle - not yielding right of way to it. Jennifer Bossert was a passenger on the motorcycle that was driven by her husband. Mrs. Bossert and her husband were transported to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital (formerly Ocala Regional Medical Center) in Ocala, Florida for treatment of their injuries.

Frank Meyer suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash.

On Sunday afternoon, June 13, 2022, doctors at the hospital pronounced Jennifer Bossert deceased. Meyer was subsequently charged with DUI manslaughter in the death of Jennifer Bossert and serious bodily injury due to the injuries sustained by her husband during the crash.

A witness on scene told law enforcement officers that the motorcycle Jennifer was on, being driven by her husband, was traveling in a group of fellow motorcycle friends, leaving the Checkers in Inverness. Just prior to the crash, the witness stated, the vehicle driven by Meyer turned directly into the path of the motorcycle Jennifer was on, ejecting both her and the driver.

During FHP's investigation, Meyer stated to authorities that he was turning into the Liquor Plus store parking lot to purchase cigarettes. While questioning Meyer regarding the collision, FHP Troopers observed signs of impairment and determined that Meyer was under the influence. Meyer told officials he'd consumed beer at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) earlier in the day. He performed field sobriety exercises and failed each exercise. His alcohol breathalyzer test results measured his breath alcohol content at 0.27 (Florida's legal limit is 0.08). Meyer was placed under arrest for DUI.