September 2006 Drunk-driving Fatal Crash
On September 5, 2006, driving a promotional 2006 Dodge Ram on Florida Route A1A, his driving license having been revoked in a previous incident in North Carolina, Lane crossed a double yellow line to pass two cars, striking head-on the 1983 Yamaha Motorcycle ridden by 56-year old, Gerald Morelock, who was traveling in the oncoming lane. Morelock suffered extensive injuries during the collision with the vehicle driven by Lane and was pronounced dead at the scene. Morelock was a park ranger at Sebastian Inlet State Park.
Lane turned himself in on Monday, September 21 in connection with the fatal crash, facing charges including driving under the influence and manslaughter, his BAC having registered 0.192 at the scene of the crash, more than twice legal limit in Florida of 0.08. Gerald Morelock's family filed a lawsuit against Lane and Chrysler. Billy Lane entered a plea of "not guilty" the day he was officially charged with the second-degree felony.
The incident drew a range of responses from the motorcycle community, with some calling for stiffer penalties because Lane was himself a motorcyclist and others calling for leniency for the same reason.
On August 14, 2009, Lane was convicted (pleading no contest) on one count of vehicular homicide and sentenced to 6 years in prison, 3 years of supervised probation, and loss — for life — of his drivers license. In arguing for the maximum sentence, the prosecuting attorney cited speeding violations and a pattern of poor driving on Lane’s driving record. A judge had earlier approved a plea deal where prosecutors dropped the felony DUI and manslaughter charges. Prior to the plea deal, Lane had been facing up to 30 years in prison. Lane is currently incarcerated at the Avon Park Work Camp with a projected release date of 10/20/2014.
Previously, in June 2006, Lane had also been arrested by the North Carolina Highway Patrol and charged with drunk driving. After refusing to take a breathalyzer test at the scene and leaving prosecutors without evidence presentable in court, Lane was found not guilty. Because his license had, however, been revoked in North Carolina, he had lost his right to drive in Florida at the time of the fatal crash.
Closures at the shop at the time of his arrests were coincidental. Choppers, Inc.'s retail location had been undergoing renovation, causing the closures.
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