Awaiting trial in wife's death, Pasco man charged with another DUI

NEW PORT RICHEY — Philip Billitteri had a few drinks at dinner one night with his wife, and on the way home he turned into the path of a pickup truck.

Sherry Billitteri died after the April 30, 2010, crash, and months later her husband was charged with DUI manslaughter.

He has been out on bail awaiting trial since last September. But on Friday, Circuit Judge Mary Handsel sent him back to jail after learning he was again charged with driving under the influence.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, Billitteri, 59, of Trinity was driving on Nebraska Avenue in Palm Harbor about 9:45 p.m. on June 4. Near the intersection with 11th Street, a "Parrothead" festival was going on, with pedestrians milling around Jimmy Buffett-inspired displays while live bands played.

Billitteri was westbound in a 2001 Ford Taurus when he struck two women walking across Nebraska, FHP says.

According to the report, Billitteri told the trooper who came to investigate that he had hit something — he didn't know he'd hit people.

Annette Kurtz, 62, was hit first and thrown against the windshield. Mary Taylor, 64, was pushed forward in the car's path and landed face down in the shoulder of the road.

The next-door neighbors had decided to go to the festival on a whim. As they were walking home, the Taurus struck them from behind.

"We didn't see him coming at all," said Taylor, who suffered a broken pelvis.

Kurtz fared worse — five broken vertebrae, a concussion, a bad cut in her head and a broken leg, Taylor said. She is now recuperating with her daughter in South Florida.

Taylor was upset when she learned about Billitteri's Pasco case — and glad to know he's now in jail.

"I don't think it's a good thing to have somebody like that out there on the road again," she said.

Billitteri, who was not injured, refused to provide a breath sample but acknowledged drinking beer that night, the report says. He couldn't say where he'd been drinking or how much he'd had.

He was charged with careless driving and DUI with serious bodily injury.

Billitteri's attorney, Chris Frey, asked Handsel to send his client to a secure treatment facility instead of jail.

But the judge took him into custody with no bail.

Molly Moorhead can be reached at moorhead@sptimes.com or on Twitter at @mmoorheadtimes.