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Inset: Fred Donaldson (Sarasota County Jail). Background: The vehicle Donaldson drove off the road in Sarasota County, Florida (WFLA).
An Ohio resident is facing a 20-year prison term after driving under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration that was twice the legal limit, leading to a fatal accident on a Florida highway. The incident resulted in the deaths of a couple whose vehicle collided with a tree.
Fred Donaldson, aged 48, entered a plea of no contest to two charges of DUI manslaughter in connection with the tragic deaths of David Henson, 69, and his wife Katherine Henson, 64. On Tuesday, a judge handed down a two-decade prison sentence for Donaldson’s actions.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, Donaldson was speeding down Interstate 75 in Sarasota County shortly before 4 p.m. Dec. 14, weaving in and out of traffic. A video obtained by local NBC affiliate WFLA shows the driver”s side of his vehicle slam into the Hensons’ passenger-side vehicle. The collision sends the Hensons off the highway before they crash into a tree.
Emergency responders found the couple deceased at the crash site.
Donaldson remained at the scene, and authorities noted a strong odor of alcohol. His blood alcohol content was measured at 0.18, significantly exceeding the legal driving limit of 0.08.
At the crash site, Donaldson appeared to acknowledge his role in the accident and inquired about the couple’s well-being.
Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol asked if he would complete field sobriety tests.
“I can probably do the test,” Donaldson responded. “But it doesn’t mean I’m right.”
Donaldson said he wanted to stop the test after troopers asked him to do the “walk and turn” exercise.
“I f—ed up, I don’t think I need to offer anything,” he said. “No matter how drunk I am, I f—ed up.”
Troopers arrested Donaldson on suspicion of DUI.
According to a victim impact statement, Katherine Henson was a nurse and her husband was a restaurateur. They were married for nearly 40 years.
“Kathy and Dave lived their lives with a simple but powerful philosophy: Family first,” the statement said. “It was not just something they said — it was something they did, every single day. They helped with repairs at their aging parents’ homes. They drove across the country to help a nephew move. They showed up without being asked, and they stayed as long as they were needed.”
The couple lived in Pensacola and had just returned from a cruise before the fatal crash.
“The driver who made the choice to get behind the wheel that day did not just take two lives,” the statement said. “He shattered a family. He robbed children of their parents, grandparents of their daughter, a grandbaby of grandparents they will never meet, and a community of two people who made it genuinely better.”