THE AUBREY COGGIN TRAGEDY: David Justin Todd, Six Time DUI Defendant, sentenced to 20 years in priso
GOOD SAMARITAN & MANSLAUGHTER VICTIM AUBREY COGGIN
UPDATE: Baldwin County Circuit Judge Clark Stankoski sentences David Justin TOdd to the maximum 20 year prison term on the manslaughter charge this morning in Baldwin County Circuit Court in Bay Minette.
David Justin Todd had been arrested at least 6 prior times for DUI before he struck and killed a 26 year old Good Samaritan Aubrey Coggin. Coggin was killed on Mother's Day 2017 after assisting a fellow motorist in Gulf Shores. Coggin was the father of a 16 month old baby girl. Todd fled the scene but was later captured in Elberta, about eight miles away. This is the story of Todd's history of DUI's in Baldwin County.
You may remember the tragedy of the Good Samaritan Aubrey Coggin, 26, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver in May of 2017 in Gulf Shores when he was assisting another motorist. Coggin died after stopping to help motorists involved in an accident on the Holmes Bridge in Gulf Shores. The suspect, later identified as David Justin Todd, fled the scene. Todd was apprehended later and charged with manslaughter, in part because of his level of intoxication.
Todd was later indicted for murder. It has now been reported that Todd has pled guilty to manslaughter. Todd has a lengthy DUI history- at least 6 prior DUI arrests with 5 confirmed convictions. Under the sentencing guidelines he's looking at a 86-204 month (straight sentence); 18-48 month (split sentence). Sentencing will be Monday, December 10, 2018 in Baldwin County Circuit Court in Bay Minette.
Todd's Prior DUI history is below.
DUI #1
1997 CITY OF GULF SHORES DUI
CHARGES: DUI & Leaving the Scene of an Accident
ARRESTING AGENCY: CITY OF GULF SHORES
DATE: June 17, 1997
TIME: 1:21AM
LOCATION: AL HWY 182 at Circle K
BREATH TEST: 0.18
DISPOSITION: GUILTY AS TO DUI
SENTENCE: $500 fine and Court Costs
VEHICLE: FORD ECONOLINE VAN WHITE
DUI #2
2002 BALDWIN COUNTY DUI
CHARGES: DUI, Open Container, Improper Lane Usage
ARRESTING AGENCY: BCSO
ARREST DATE: December 9, 2002
TIME: 1:00AM
LOCATION: HWY 98 EB NEAR OLD FOLEY RD
DISPOSITION: GUILTY AS TO DUI (Open Container & Improper Lane Usage Nolle Prossed as part of plea agreement)
SENTENCE: 6 months in jail suspended for 12 months of supervised probation; $600 fine, costs, Substance Abuse evaluation
When processed at booking the deputy who asked Todd to perform noted: “Subject was very hostile and resisted arrest. Subject continued to be hostile throughout processing."
BREATH TEST RESULT: REFUSED
VEHICLE: FORD VAN
DUI #3
2005 CITY OF ELBERTA DUI
CHARGES: DUI
DATE: June 24, 2005
ARRESTING AGENCY: Elberta Municipal Court
TIME: Unknown
LOCATION: City of Elberta/police jurisdiction
DISPOSITION: Unknown
DUI #4
2009 BALDWIN COUNTY DUI
ARRESTING AGENCY: ALABAMA STATE TROOPER
CHARGES: DUI, ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE POLICE, OPEN CONTAINER, NO INSURANCE, DRIVING WHILE LICENSE REVOKED
TIME: June 9, 2009 8:05PM
LOCATION: Co. Rd 95 at or near Frank Drive
VEHICLE: 1986 DODGE RAM BLUE
DISPOSITION: GUILTY AS TO DUI
SENTENCE: 6 months in jail suspended for 12 months of supervised probation; $600 fine, costs, Substance Abuse Evaluation
PROBATION: Violated when arrested for new DUI and Driving While License on March 20, 2012 in the City of Foley.
DUI #5
2010 BALDWIN COUNTY DUI
CHARGE: DUI
ARRESTING AGENCY: BCSO
DATE : March 9, 2010
TIME: 3:34AM
LOCATION: CR 26 &95
VEHICLE: BLUE CHEVY TRUCK
BREATH TEST: REFUSAL
DISPOSITION: GUILTY
SENTENCE: On February 8, 2011 the Defendant pled guilty to DUI and was sentenced to 180 days split to serve 75 days, with the remaining sentence suspended for two years of probation
PROBATION REVOCATION:
Defendant’s probation revoked and Defendant ordered to serve 105 days as set
forth herein below:
-Defendant shall receive 30 days credit for concurrent time defendant is scheduled to
serve in the Foley Municipal Jail beginning March 19, 2013.
-Upon completion of 30 day sentence in Foley Municipal Jail, Defendant shall be
transferred to the Baldwin County Jail to serve the remainder of Defendant’s sentence
in this matter, 75 days.
-Defendant to participate in work release program through Community Corrections provided Community Corrections accepts Defendant into program.
DUI #6
2012 DUI
CHARGE: DUI
ARRESTING AGENCY: CITY OF FOLEY
DATE : March 20, 2012
TIME: 1:52AM
LOCATION: South McKenzie at or near the Burger King
BREATH TEST: REFUSED
DISPOSITION IN FOLEY: Stipulated to Prima Facie Case and ADJUDGED GUILTY; 1 year split to serve 60 days in the Foley jail, with the balance suspended for 12 months of supervised probation.
ON APPEAL TO BALDWIN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT:
Case Remanded To City of Foley
Our firm represents victims in cases like this and unfortunately we see these cases and defendants like Mr. Todd far too frequently.
Matt Green and his associate Darrin Thompson represent personal injury and victims of DUI. Matt served as a municipal court traffic court judge in the City of Mobile and the City of Saraland for nearly a decade. Before that Matt prosecuted major felonies, traffic homicides, and violent crimes in the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office. He teaches trial advocacy to Mobile Police Cadets and speaks to the Mobile County Court Referral Victim Impact Panel. Matt also advocates for free speech, economic liberty, and due process. He may be reached at 251.434.8500 or by e-mail at mattgreenlaw@comcast.net
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The Alabama State Bar, Rules of Professional conduct, Rule 7.2 (e), requires the following language in all attorney communications: No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
