Judge nearly declares mistrial in DUI manslaughter case

NAPLES, Fla. A mistrial was nearly declared Wednesday in the case of a 42-year-old man accused of driving drunk and killing a father of four in a crash.

Rene Miles faces a DUI manslaughter charge in the deadly crash along Golden Gate Boulevard that killed Cecil Riner in December 2015.

Prosecutors were ordered not to play Miles’ sobriety test in court, but footage of his actions following the crash, captured by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper on scene, began to roll during trial on Wednesday. Attorney Seth Lavey, who represents Miles, objected to the audio on that footage.

The trial was allowed to continue and an edited version of the footage was shown.

A toxicologist testified that Miles had about eight and a half drinks before the crash. Miles’ attorney argued that while Miles was drunk at the time, he did not cause the crash.