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Carlos Bertonatti today was handed a 12-year sentence for the DUI manslaughter of Christophe Le Canne in 2010, finally bringing justice for the cyclist more than three and a half years later.
On an early morning in January 2010, Bertonatti, an aspiring pop star, was driving his Volkswagen back to his Key Biscayne residence after a long night of partying at Space. Bertonatti’s VW hit Le Canne, a married father who was cycling along the Rickenbacker Causeway, but didn’t stop. Le Canne’s bicycle became lodged underneath the Volkswagen and was dragged for more than three miles.
See also: Musician Carlos Bertonatti Charged in Fatal DUI Key Biscayne Crash; Bikers Outraged
Bertonatti was speeding and swerving at the time. His blood-alcohol level would later come back well over the legal limit, at .122.
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The court case was delayed several times before Bertonatti pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and resisting arrest without violence.
See also: Carlos Bertonatti Was a Terrible Driver Long Before He Was Charged With Killing a Biker
Bertonatti had a long list of blemishes on his driving record before the accident; his license was suspended in 2009. However, Bertonatti’s brother Miguel told prosecutors that he had used Carlos’ identity several times over the years to avoid getting several tickets on his own record.
Despite the last-minute twist, Judge Bronwyn Miller sentence Bertonatti to 12 years in jail. He faced a maximum of 25 years.
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