Edwards receives 20-year Sentence for 2 DUI Manslaughter Deaths

State Attorney Melissa Nelson today announces that the Honorable Howard Maltz sentenced Dalton Roy Edwards, 22, of Bunnell, to 20 Years in Florida State Prison for two counts of DUI Manslaughter. Edwards will serve 10 years of probation to follow his incarceration, and his driver’s license is permanently revoked.

Edwards entered a plea in October and was sentenced Nov. 6, 2017, for the January 2016 crash that killed 19-year-old Katherine Stecker and 20-year-old Victoria Sutton. The Fourth Circuit State Attorney’s Office was executively assigned to this St. Johns County case due to a conflict by the office in that county.

Edwards was the driver of a Ford F-150 when he ran a stop sign at speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour in the Flagler Estates area of St. Johns County. Edwards’ vehicle struck a vehicle driven by Sutton, which caused her death. Edwards also caused the death of Stecker, who was a passenger in his vehicle. Edwards was injured in the crash and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.105.

The case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney John Kalinowski.