Why Are the Innocents the Ones to Die?
How many times do you hear about a car accident where a driver was drunk, running a red light, speeding, drag racing, or otherwise driving like a complete idiot and then hit another car? How often do we hear that the scumbag driver either walks away without injury or is treated and released while the innocent people in the other car lose their lives?
On Christmas day, David A. Belniak of Spring Hill, FL ran a red light on U.S. 19 in Hudson and hit a truck carrying four people. Two of the four people who were in that truck have died.
Belniak, on the other hand, was treated and released from Bayfront hospital in St. Petersburg. He’s just fine. He is also a murderer.
But, guess what? It’s not the first time this man has killed someone while he had been behind the wheel of a car. In 1994, he hit a pedestrian on U.S. 19. The woman died, but Belniak was not charged.
If you think that is his only other violation behind the wheel, then get ready to be shocked. He has a long list of horrific offences. In fact, I will just make a list, because if I gave each a paragraph, we would be here all night.
Last month Belniak just completed probation after being in jail for 17-month prison for a drug conviction. In 2003, he was pulled on suspicion of drunken driving, and police found a gallon of GHB (the “date rape” drug) in his car. He pleaded no contest to trafficking and was sentenced to two years in prison. His driver’s license was also suspended for two years.
In 2002, he was arrested for DUI. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving and paid a fine.
He has several speeding tickets on his record, with one as recently as September. In most cases he was cited for driving about twice the speed limit.
If that’s not bad enough, every single person involved EXCPET Belniak was wearing a seatbelt. And yet, he is the one who has his life and his health.
Is this a man who sounds like he should be allowed to drive? Ever? If our current laws cannot keep people like Belniak off the roads, then the laws are useless. Driving is a privilege, and yet this man has killed three people in his short 34 years on this earth, all while behind the wheel.
NOTE: I need to look into the details, but it appears three were actually killed in the accident.
I couldn’t agree with you more on this! However, I believe the laws/penalties are in place to stop people like Mr. Belniak. However, when you have judicial people sleeping at the wheel…FAILING to do their jobs, this is what happens. I say they look into the judge in 1/2 of his violations and ask for his/her resignation!
I agree with Brenda. If the penalize the judges and anyone working in a state, county or even local authority, this state my change the law or penalties for DUI, basically it is a slap in the face for the victims’ families. This was my family. Father, step-mother, step-sister and her husband. The laws in Florida suck when it comes to DUI crashes involving death. THIS man walked out of the hospital. The other three except for my dad are in heaven taken way too early. I am so furious. I dont have anymre nice words to say about this. Charges pending investigation is pure out and out BS.
Barbara,
I am SO sorry for the loss of your family! I’m personally furious that this man was even allowed on the road. I keep looking for a follow up or an investigation, but so far this story has just faded into the cold shadows.
I think he should be tried for murder. It’s not too much to ask.
I think it’s a travesty this man was not even issued as much as a traffic violation!! If I rearended a car stopped at a redlight going 2 miles an hour I’d get one! This man kills a pedestrian and three people and he’s sitting at home, driving around… I would not feel safe living anywhere near this man or the hundreds of others who have likely gotten away with murder in Florida. I’m completely dumbfounded and I do hope that once this poor family gets up off their feet, out of their great depths of grief, that there is a civil suit brought against this man. He doesn’t deserve to be free to harm others and is a danger to society.
I just wanted to say thank you for taking time and writing something up on the crash that took place on Christmas Day, involving my dad Ray, step MOM Linda, step sister Denise & brother-in-law Gerard, and that scum bag Belniak, he took three of our family members away, which are, and will be forever missed by all that knew and loved them, why that SOB walks the streets, possibly behind the wheel to kill again. I used to live in Florida, most of my childhood. I know the law is a lot different there, if you have money, you will get a smack on your pee-pee and if you don’t well, off to jail you go, don’t pass go and don’t collect $200 dollars. I understand that Belniak sister is some kind of lawyer, and dad is very sue happy (this is what I read thru blogs). I do understand why Belniak wasn’t arrested right away, for the fact he would only be accountable for one death, instead of the three that he took. The law in all aspect really needs to step up and don’t let Belniak off this time. Thank you for taking time and reading this, people like you that speak the truth are a blessing. Just in case you don’t know Dates of Death Gerard Bassi & Denise Bassi 12-25-2007 and Linda A. McWilliams 1-2-2008, may they R.I.P.
David Belniak’s sister Debra Toumey works for the State Attorneys office as Asst DA where they handle all felony cases, could this just be a coincidence that he keeps murdering people and getting away with it. What CORRUPTION!!
i was ther and witnessed that crash first hand,and watch that a hole run the light i had green on at over 80mph,he almost got me. your f in sister cant save you a hole thers to many witnesses, and your record is to long ,body counts at 4 now ,and that a hole is still driving,court is coming ,law suits,your rich daddy needs to fork out alott more money dude but your still going away ,i just want to say iam glade you made it ray the driver of the tan suv,hope to talk to you some time ,i think about that crash every day,still ,hope your doing better you have a new friend that was ther that day it happend right in front of me i am sad you lost so much. hope we can talk some time . iam sorry for your loss
SORRY EVERY ONE the last comment i made got messed up some how,i check the blogs every other week in hopes of seeing up dates on the court case,i did see that crash first hand ,and still think about it. realy wish i knew a way to get the media ,involved,if there was ever a case to make documentry movie about i belive this case should be brought to the public.iam so sorry to have had seen that thing happen and my prayers go out to the bassi and mcwilliam familys,i realy think HBO,OR JOE BERLINGER AND BRUCE SINOFSKY should get emails and writen to,for them to take a look at this case and follow the court case.positive things can come out of this if it helps save one life from dwi,or dui driving,maybe even shown in high schools i think this story could save lifes,i no for me i kinda saw my life flash in front of me that cristmas day,i will never look at a intersection the same way,and i dont realy enjoy holidays any more. i am so glade mr mcwilliams has pulled through it.