DAVIE, Fla. — A 74-year-old man accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that killed a retired Hollywood police officer has been ordered to remain under strict supervision while awaiting trial.
Jail records show Joseph Anthony Ciavarella faces charges including DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in connection with the June 11 crash near Stirling Road and University Drive in Davie.
Authorities said the victim, a 55-year-old retired Hollywood police officer, was attempting to make a left turn into a shopping plaza when Ciavarella struck her vehicle.
Investigators determined Ciavarella was intoxicated and driving without headlights at the time of the crash.
Law enforcement agencies have not publicly identified the victim because sources told Local 10 News that her teenage child was in the vehicle and witnessed the crash.
“Obviously it was a tragic loss for all of us when we heard about it,” said Danielly De Andrade, a detective with the Hollywood Police Department. “She was actually my first supervisor, so I was able to work with her for a little bit.”
De Andrade said the retired officer spent about 15 years with the department.
“It’s very hard for us to hear one of our own actually get affected by this, but we see it every day, and we just urge the public to not drink and drive,” she said.
The victim’s husband also works in law enforcement, adding to the impact the loss has had on South Florida’s law enforcement community.
“This is a loss for our community,” De Andrade added. “This is something that hits home, not something you want to hear after they retire.”
Asked what he would remember most about the victim, De Andrade described her as “just a kind person, very kind, family oriented, very experienced.”
Davie police obtained an arrest warrant and took Ciavarella into custody on Friday.
He did not physically appear during court hearing that was scheduled for Monday, according to the Broward State Attorney’s Office.
A Broward County judge ordered Ciavarella to surrender his passport, wear a GPS monitor, remain within the tri-county area, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and undergo random testing twice a month.
The judge also set his bond at $252,000 and ordered him to remain at a rehabilitation hospital while receiving treatment for injuries he suffered in the crash.
The victim’s funeral was scheduled for Thursday.
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