Cody Gates Faces DUI Manslaughter Charge For Death of Daryl Millelot In 2015 Vehicle Crash
By Space Coast Daily // March 31, 2016
SUSPECT faces up to 15 years in prison if guilty
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – Cody Gates, 27, is facing manslaughter charges for the death of a man he says was his best friend.
According to Yvonne Martinez, public information officer for the Cocoa Police Department, Gates is facing a charge of DUI Manslaughter for the March 2015 death of Daryl Millelot.
“On March 30, 2015, patrol officers responded to a report of a vehicle crashing into a building near the intersection of U.S. 1 and SR 520,” said Martinez in a release. “When officers arrived they found a truck inside the building at 440 West King Street.”
According to police, the passenger in the vehicle, identified as Millelot, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, identified as Gates, was safely removed from the vehicle with only minor injuries.
“Responding officers believed the driver was under the influence at the time of the crash,” said Martinez. “Further investigation revealed Gates had a blood alcohol of .201, nearly three times the legal limit.”
Evidence at the crash scene also revealed multiple containers of alcohol inside the vehicle.
Prior to the crash, a sheriff’s deputy witnessed the vehicle traveling west on State Road 520 in Merritt Island and estimated the speed to be approximately 120 miles per hour.
The deputy followed the vehicle into Cocoa. As the driver approached the intersection near U.S. 1, he failed to navigate a sharp turn and crashed into the building.
“We learned the two friends had been out drinking all night and ran up a bar tab of more than $100 in the Cocoa Beach area,” said Cocoa Police Detective Ben Erskine.
“The reason it took this long to make the arrest was due to delays in confirming some of the evidence.”
Gates faces up to 15-years in prison if found guilty of the DUI manslaughter charge. He is expected to face a judge on Thursday for an initial court appearance at the Brevard County Jail.
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