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Highlands Today

High-Profile Court Cases Move Closer To Trial

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: November 13, 2008

SEBRING - The Travis Kelton "T.K." Hill III manslaughter trial was changed from its original January date to Feb. 9.

The defendant, 20, of 1728 Palm St., Sebring, is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) causing damage to property, DUI homicide - negligent vehicular manslaughter causing death to a human, a felony, and possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

On Dec. 30, 2006, Hill was traveling north on County Road 621 when he lost control of his pickup truck, which then flipped several times. Both Hill and a passenger, Kristin Marie Dessingue, 16, of Coconut Creek, were ejected from the vehicle.

Dessingue died as a result of the accident. Hill sustained neck and back injuries, while a third passenger, Jake R. Dressel, 18, suffered minor injuries.

At the Lake Placid hospital where Hill was taken, a blood-alcohol sample allegedly registered .179. The legal limit for an adult is .08.

Hill was the starting quarterback during his junior and senior seasons at Avon Park High School, and was being looked at by Alabama, LSU and Florida Atlantic University prior to the accident.

At Wednesday's pretrial conference, defense attorney Richard Pipkin laid out reasons for the continuance, which included a general 11th Circuit Court of Appeals case that was reset for the week the Hill case was originally to begin and an issue with an expert witness.

"He says given the fact that it's coming after Christmas and Thanksgiving and things, in the course, have been slow getting done, he doesn't think he'll be able to do all the things he needs to do by that date," Pipkin told Judge Peter Estrada.

Estrada scheduled jury trial selection for Feb. 9 at 8:30 a.m. He left the Jan. 7 date, which was originally for jury trial status, open for a status conference.

"What I want to hear on that date is, 'Everything's done, judge,' or if something comes up like what just happened here, we can flush it out," Estrada said. "There's still enough time."

The defense added they would not accept any plea offers, since the prosecution said it would be in excess of 12 years.

Estrada said the maximum penalty for the felony count alone is 15 years.

In other Wednesday court action, continuances were granted in two separate murder cases:
Avon Park Shooting

Donald Alfonso Henry, 37, saw his case continued until Feb. 18.

Henry is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the shooting death of Hugh Andrew Marks, who was found Jan. 7 near the intersection of Garrett Road and Alabama Avenue in Avon Park.

After a warrant was issued for his arrest, Henry reportedly fled Highlands County before turning himself in to the Orlando Police Department.

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against the defendant.

Lake Placid Shooting

One of the suspects charged in the June 7 shooting death of Walter Enrique Vilchez will next appear in court Dec. 22.

Shane Ryan Fannin, 21, of 12075 Payne Road, Sebring, is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. A second defendant, Andrew John Kalinowski, 21, of 917 Lake June Road, Lake Placid, is facing the same counts.

Kalinowski is set for a pretrial conference on Dec. 11.

The charges stem from a shooting that left Vilchez dead and a second victim, Jose Franklin Escalante, injured. Both men were found on the front porch at 242 E. Phoenix St., in Lake Placid, each with a single gunshot wound to the face.

As Fannin was escorted out of the Highlands County Courthouse Wednesday morning, spectators seated in the audience - presumably family members - became emotional and started crying when the defendant looked at them.

One woman told Fannin that, "We love you."

Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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