No bond for driver in fatal DUI crash

Marty Howard charged in Fannie Ash's death

MIAMI – A judge on Thursday revoked bond for a driver who investigators say was drunk when he hit a woman with his truck and drove away.

Police charged 55-year-old Marty Howard with leaving the scene of a crash involving death and DUI manslaughter. At the time of the crash, he was out on bond for a previous burglary charge.

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His attorney, Anthony Britt, argued that despite having arrests dating back to 1977, he qualified for bond.

"It's unfortunate when any member of the community loses their life, but obviously at this point it is too early for me to discuss the facts of that case with respect to that," said Britt.

Police say Howard hit 78-year-old Fannie Ash as she crossed Northwest 12th Avenue at 61st Street on Monday night. Relatives told police that she was walking to church at the time.

Ash was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she died.

Howard drove home and told his son and stepdaughter what happened, and they drove him back to where the crash happened, according to the arrest affidavit. When Howard returned, he told an officer, "Let me tell you something. I'm the one that was driving. I hit somebody."

Howard said that Ash jumped out of nowhere, according to the arrest affidavit. He told officers he saw people coming out of the apartment with guns so he drove away.

A witness who was riding in the passenger seat of Howard's truck said he fell asleep and woke up to a jolt but wasn't sure what happened, police say.

Officers reported that Howard had blood shot eyes, slurred speech, and his breath smelled like alcohol. He told officers he had drank a few beers and agreed to provide a blood samples, which were submitted for toxicology results.