Lithia man charged with DUI manslaughter in Dec. 19 crash

A 35-year-old Lithia man has been charged with DUI manslaughter in a head-on crash that claimed the life of a Riverview woman last month.

Paul Michael Parks, 10803 Lithia Pinecrest Road, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.218 percent on Dec. 19, when deputies say his truck slammed head-on into a Jeep Renegade driven by Karen Weaver, 47.

Florida law presumes a driver to be impaired at a blood-alcohol level of 0.08.

Parks, who was driving a GMC pickup, turned himself in just after 9 p.m. Monday on charges of DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI property damage with personal injury.

Weaver, who lived on Tallowood Court, died in the 11:42 p.m. crash near Big Bend Road and Heritage Green Parkway.

After the crash, both vehicles hit a 2006 Chevrolet driven by Michael Toolen of Riverview. Toolen was not injured.

Parks was booked into the Hills­borough County Jail, his bail set at $25,000.

Carter said the crash remains under investigation. Detectives would not release any more information about where Parks was coming from or headed to that night.

Rebecca Catalanello can be reached at rcatalanello@sptimes.com or (813)226-3383.