JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The fiancé of James Higdon, the man who died in a golf cart accident hours before the Georgia-Florida game, spoke to First Coast News for the first time Friday. 

Three months after the crash, the driver of the golf cart, Robert Darling, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence manslaughter. But Higdon’s fiancé Eliza Huckins says she doesn’t want him to be charged. 

The marine veteran and father tragically lost his life last year when he was ejected off a golf cart, while heading to RV city in the early morning hours before the Georgia Florida game.

Huckins was sitting next to him. “I watched it happen,” she said, “I watched in slow motion. I reached for him, and he reached for me and we barely missed each other.“

She says Higdon knew Darling well. “They’ve been friends for years, years and years. we were having a great time.”

She feels these charges are unfair.

“I don’t want Robert to face these charges, it is not Robert’s fault. It’s not his fault, it was tragic, yes, life-altering, yes, but accident, it was an accident,” she said

Darling was arrested on February 22, and according to police records he bonded out on the 25th.  

He has pleaded not guilty and has requested a trial by jury.

First Coast News reached out to Darling and he informed us that he is unable to comment due to pending litigation.