Florida woman charged with DUI manslaughter after man killed in Ocala crash: police

OCALA, Fla. - A woman was arrested in connection to a crash that left a man dead in Ocala, according to police.

Tiara Kirkland, 44, was booked into the Marion County jail on a charge of DUI manslaughter, jail records show.

On Wednesday, shortly before 8 p.m., officers said Kirkland attempted to make a left turn at the intersection of N Pine Avenue and NW 20th Street as a Toyota Scion and a Honda Civic were traveling northbound on N Pine Avenue.

The Honda managed to avoid Kirkland's Chevy Spark, but the Toyota collided with it, police said. 

Tiara Kirkland (Credit: Marion County jail)

As a result, the Toyota hit a median and overturned several times before striking three parked cars in a nearby parking lot.

The passenger of the Toyota, identified as Ethan Reeves, was thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead, according to an affidavit. The driver sustained serious life-threatening injuries.

Kirkland and the driver of the Honda were not hurt. 

After the crash, police spoke with Kirkland, who appeared to slur some of her words. Her eyes were bloodshot and glassy, the affidavit stated.

When asked about the crash, she claimed she did not see the other cars traveling northbound, police said. 

Officers said Kirkland showed signs of impairment and failed several field sobriety tests. Her breath sample read .191 and .186, more than two times the legal limit in Florida. 

Police said they are investigating whether the speed of the Toyota and Honda also played a factor in the crash.