Ex-Yankee catcher Jim Leyritz sued for wrongful death in fatal DUI crash

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Former major leaguer Jim Leyritz is being sued in Broward County for wrongful death in connection with a fatal traffic accident in December.

The lawsuit asking for at least $15,000 in damages was filed Tuesday by the family of 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch. Leyritz has previously pleaded not guilty to DUI manslaughter charges stemming from the Dec. 28 accident.

Police say Leyritz was drunk when he ran a red light in his sport utility vehicle and caused the crash. Authorities say Veitch also had a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit.

The 44-year-old Leyritz played for six teams in 11 major league seasons, including a stint with the New York Yankees in which he hit a memorable 1996 World Series home run.

Leyritz attorney David Bogenschutz said the lawsuit closely tracks the criminal case.

"We believe that, when the evidence in both of these cases is heard by a jury, he will be both criminally and civilly exonerated from any responsibility in this accident,'' Bogenschutz said.

Trial in the criminal case is scheduled to begin May 12. If convicted, Leyritz faces up to 15 years in prison.

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Jim Leyritz pleads not guilty to 2nd manslaughter charge in fatal DUI crash

Plantation, FL

Former New York Yankees slugger Jim Leyritz pleaded not guilty Thursday in Broward Circuit Court to an additional charge of manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with a car crash last month.

Leyritz is accused of running a red light Dec. 28 and killing Fredia Veitch, a Plantation mother of two.

Police say Leyritz was celebrating his 44th birthday before the collision at Southwest Seventh Avenue and Second Street in Fort Lauderdale. He posted an $11,000 bond on the day of his arrest.

Leyritz, of Davie, was initially charged with DUI manslaughter by impairment. After toxicology results showed that Leyritz's blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit, prosecutors added a charge of DUI manslaughter by unlawful blood-alcohol content. More >>

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Jim Leyritz victim also was driving while intoxicated (DWI)

Plantation, FL

January 31, 2008 -- The 30-year-old mother of two tragically killed last month when boozing ex-Yankee Jim Leyritz crashed his SUV into her car had herself been driving drunk, The Post has learned.

The victim, Fredia Ann Veitch, had a .08 blood-alcohol level, which is the state's legal limit, sources close to the case said yesterday.

Anything .08 or higher is considered DUI, driving under the influence (DUI), according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles. More >>

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2nd DUI charge for Jim Leyritz

New York, NY

Fallen Yankee hero Jim Leyritz was hit with a second DUI charge Thursday for killing a young mom in a car wreck while he was allegedly bombed on booze.

Leyritz will be formally arraigned on Jan. 30 and faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted, authorities said.

The hard-hitting former catcher was initially charged with a single count of DUI-related manslaughter and one count of causing property damage for slamming his SUV into a vehicle driven by 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch after a night of celebrating his 44th birthday.

Prosecutors are expected to introduce into evidence a roadside videotape taken by a police dashboard camera. The video shows Leyritz failing sobriety tests after the Dec. 28 wreck left the mother of two dead, sources said.

A blood test taken three hours after the deadly crash showed that Leyritz still had nearly twice the legal amount of alcohol in his system, prosecutors said.

Leyritz has been released on $11,000 bond. He remained holed up yesterday in his Davie, Fla., home.

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Charged with DUI and manslaughter, Jim Leyritz lawyers up

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Former New York Yankees catcher Jim Leyritz stayed silent as he left a meeting with criminal defense attorney David Bogenschutz Thursday night.

Bogenschutz has represented some big names in high-profile cases including former Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne.

Bogenschutz said he was only retained a day before, and will be giving more insight into his plans to defend the DUI and manslaughter charges against Jim Leyritz. Police say Leyritz was drunk when he crashed into Fredia Veitch's SUV in Fort Lauderdale. The wife and mother of two from Plantation was killed.

Bogenshutz said, "The only thing I can say on behalf of Jim is his condolences have already been indicated in the press, at a time when I did not represent him, to the family. I don't think his sentiments have changed one iota." More >>

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Victim's family speaks out in Jim Leyritz DUI crashz

Fort Lauderdale, FL

A husband is speaking out after a former New York Yankees star is charged with manslaughter in a car crash that killed a mother of two.

Fredia Veitch's family said her Friday morning drive home from work would have been one of her last, since she planned on quitting her job to focus on being a mom.

But at 3 a.m., Veitch was traveling through an intersection on a green light when, police allege, former Yankee Jim Leyritz drove through a red light and hit her SUV.

Police charged Leyritz, a Davie resident, with manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol.

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Former Yankee Jim Leyritz arrested on suspicion of DWI in fatal crash

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Former Yankee Jim Leyritz was arrested Friday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and being involved in a crash that left one person dead, police said.

Fort Lauderdale police said Leyritz hit another car at an intersection early Friday morning. The passenger in the other car was ejected and died at the scene, police said.

Leyritz, 44, of Plantation, Fla., refused to take a breathalyzer test, police said.

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