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T.K. Hill's Trial Date Set

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By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: September 21, 2008

SEBRING - A motion to dismiss the blood alcohol evidence against Travis Kelton Hill III was denied last week by Judge Peter Estrada.

Hill was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and negligent vehicular manslaughter after the Dec. 30, 2006 death of Kristin Marie Dessingue, 16, of Coconut Creek. She was a passenger in Hill's pickup truck when he lost control while traveling north on County Road 621.

The state attorney didn't need the patient's permission to subpoena the blood alcohol evidence, the judge determined. Even so, defense attorney Richard Pipkin was given notice of the subpoena in 2006, and didn't object until a few months ago.

The state acted in good faith, and the fact that Trooper L.M. Smith Jr. didn't ask request Hill's blood to be tested "does not affect the admissibility of the results," Estrada wrote in his opinion. "The State did not commit any error."

The judge also decided not to quash a subpoena for Tampa General Hospital's medical charts.

Pipkin has until Oct. 10 to appeal Estrada's decision. Pipkin did not respond to a request Friday afternoon to be interviewed for this story.

Hill remains free on a $102,000 bond. On Wednesday, Estrada set the trial for Jan. 12, 2008.

Promising Future

Hill, 20, was the starting quarterback in his junior and senior seasons at Avon Park High School. Before the accident, he was being looked at by Alabama, LSU and Florida Atlantic University.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers found the white truck on its right side, and determined Hill missed a left-hand curve and lost control. The Ford flipped several times, and both Hill and Dessingue were ejected.

Hill sustained neck and back injuries. A third passenger, Jake R. Dressel, 18, had minor injuries.

Troopers counted 47 beer cans around the accident scene. At the Lake Placid hospital where Hill was taken, a blood alcohol sample registered .179. The legal limit for an adult is .08.
Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin thought Hill's blood was supposed to be drawn and analyzed by the Tampa hospital where he was flown by helicopter, so he subpoenaed the Lake Placid hospital for the admission and discharge summary. The hospital voluntarily sent the blood alcohol information.

"The defense's argument is that we didn't say the magic words," Houchin said in an interview last month. "We didn't give them the proper notice. Our position is, 'Hey, (the hospital) gave us something we didn't ask for.' "

If the Lake Placid results had been suppressed, Houchin said, "Then our case is severely weakened."

Gary Pinnell can be reached at gpinnell@highlandstoday.com or 863 386-5828

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