Daytona Beach, FL – A Daytona Beach Shores man faces up to 30 years in prison for a drug-related traffic incident that left another man dead over 2 years ago.
A Volusia County jury convicted Joseph W. Daugherty Wednesday after over 2 hours of deliberation of leaving the scene of a crash involving death in the May 2013 accident that killed 34-year-old Joshua Krodel.
The Daytona Beach Police Department says Daugherty was driving a vehicle at 11:56pm on May 13, 2013 near the Harvey Avenue and South Hollywood Avenue intersection when he had an argument with Krodel.
Investigators believe Krodel was involved in a drug deal with Daugherty when the two had some sort of disagreement and Daugherty began to drive away.
That’s when witnesses told police Krodel tried to grab on to that car as Daugherty was leaving the scene, but he didn’t hang on for very long before falling off, hitting hit his head on the pavement in the process.
Krodel was transported to Halifax Medical Center from the scene and declared brain dead before he officially died the following day.
When brought in for questioning the day after Krodel’s death, Daugherty allegedly told police that he was leaving a friend’s house when Krodel came out “drunk as hell screaming”.
Daugherty also claimed that Krodel kept harassing him as he tried to drive away and he intentionally sped up until Krodel could no longer hold onto the vehicle.
A witness who was riding as a passenger in the car told DBPD Daugherty was going around 30 miles per hour when Krodel lost his grip on the vehicle and that they “freaked out and kept going.”
According to the report, Daugherty told police that he saw Krodel fall but “I figured he would get his drunk ass up.”
Detectives say Daugherty then left the scene without trying to assist Krodel with his injuries, which is why he was arrested.
7th Circuit Chief Judge Terence R. Perkins presided over the case and will sentence Daugherty on October 29th.
Joseph W. Daugherty (mugshot courtesy Volusia County Jail)
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