Man receives deferred sentence

Jan. 01--A man accused of hitting and injuring a teenager while driving drunk was sentenced to 10 years deferred earlier this month.

Pete Bonicelli Jr., 55, of Stuart, pleaded no contest to allegedly driving a 1990 Ford F-150 pickup truck east on U.S. Highway 270 about one mile west of the Indian Nation Turnpike when he approached a vehicle-accident scene the teen was helping work by directing traffic.

Bonicelli is accused of striking the teen with his truck and not stopping.

"Bonicelli failed to stop at the scene of the second collision and fled east on U.S. Highway 270," OHP trooper Garrett Gray wrote in the affidavit.

Gray wrote it was apparent to him Bonicelli was drunk when he finally did pull over.

"Gray noticed that Bonicelli had slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet (rocking back and forth)," Gray wrote.

The OHP trooper said Bonicelli told him he had "six beers about 10 minutes ago" when asked if he had been drinking alcohol.

Bonicelli was charged with DUI -- great bodily injury and leaving scene of an accident involving injury. Bonicelli pleaded no contest to both counts and was sentenced to 10 years deferred for the DUI charge and five years for the leaving the scene charge. He is to be supervised by the District Attorney's office for two years.

Bonicelli resolved a civil matter stemming from the crash against him earlier this year. According to court documents, the family of the victim and Bonicelli filed a joint petition for approval of settlement in July . In it, both parties ask a judge to approve a settlement of $25,000.

That payment was to be made by Bonicelli's insurance company -- Farmer's Insurance Company -- according to court documents.

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