Walter Behrens, 22, of Gulf Breeze was found guilty of DUI manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in jail Feb. 21. He will serve eight years probation after his release.
Behrens was the cause of an accident Dec. 15, 2009 when he struck the car of Navarre resident Thomas R. Portolan, 60. Portolan was declared deceased on the scene by Lifeguard paramedics.
Behrens’ blood alcohol content level was .111; the legal limit is .08.
Witnesses told Florida Highway Patrol, according to a FHP report, that Behrens was “driving really fast, coming up behind them and then passing them on the inside eastbound lane.”  Behrens lost control of his Dodge pick-up when he attempted to change from the outside to the inside eastbound lane. He struck the center raised concrete median and became airborne in a northeasterly direction.