American Driver Facing Manslaughter Charges Over Death of Marathoner

A driver has been charged with DUI manslaughter following an incident at a Florida half-marathon in February where a 74-year-old participant was struck by a vehicle and later succumbed to his injuries.

As per the Canadian Running Magazine, the collision occurred on February 8 during the Health First Florida 1/2 Marathon in Melbourne, Florida. According to Melbourne Police, an SUV veered into a lane that had been specifically closed off for the runners, approximately one mile from the starting line.

The vehicle hit Albert Swann, a resident of Georgia, who was immediately transported to a local hospital. Swann passed away from his injuries on February 16.

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Police identified the driver as James David Wilson of Palm Bay, Florida. A DUI assessment was performed at the scene, which indicated that Wilson was impaired. However, an arrest was not made at the time, as the incident had not yet resulted in a fatality.

Following Swann's death, Melbourne police secured an arrest warrant for Wilson on March 26. In a coordinated effort with the FBI, authorities located and arrested Wilson on April 1 in Hollywood, Florida, nearly 160 miles from the scene of the crash.

Wilson is now facing multiple charges, including DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, driving with a suspended license (with a prior offense), and failure to maintain financial responsibility. He is currently being held in custody without bond.

According to his obituary, Albert Swann was a dedicated and passionate runner. In the last decade alone, he had completed nine full marathons, 30 half-marathons, ten 10K races, and twenty-five 5K events. The Florida race was his 31st half-marathon.