Left inset: Natalie Pierre (GoFundMe). Right inset: Dale Drotar (Palm Beach County Jail). Background: Scene of crash that killed Pierre in Boynton Beach, Florida (WPEC).
A Florida man is facing serious charges after allegedly driving a Chevrolet Corvette at reckless speeds while impaired, resulting in a devastating crash that claimed the life of a young woman.
Dale James Drotar, 40, has been charged with vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter in connection with the fatal accident that took the life of 25-year-old Natalie Pierre. According to a probable cause affidavit, the tragic collision involved four vehicles and occurred around 10 p.m. on April 6 at the intersection of Military Trail and Cedar Point Boulevard in Boynton Beach.
Authorities report that Drotar was speeding south on Military Trail at an alarming 135 mph in a zone where the speed limit is 45 mph. Meanwhile, a Toyota Camry was traveling north and attempted a left turn onto Cedar Point. It was at this moment that the Corvette collided with the Camry, leading both vehicles to spin out and crash into two additional cars.
The impact sent the Corvette skidding approximately 470 feet, while the Camry came to a halt about 60 feet from the crash site. The force of the collision was so severe that the Camry was torn nearly in half. Pierre was ejected from the vehicle and tragically pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Camry sustained serious injuries, and Drotar was also hospitalized following the crash.
Investigators discovered a nearly empty 200-milliliter bottle of Jack Daniels liqueur inside Drotar’s vehicle. During an interview, officers noted that Drotar exhibited signs of intoxication, including the smell of alcohol, slurred speech, and a lethargic demeanor, as detailed in the affidavit.
A toxicology report confirmed that Drotar was under the influence of both alcohol and drugs at the time of the accident. His blood alcohol content was recorded at 0.126 upon hospital admission and still measured 0.085 over 12 hours after the incident. Data from the vehicle revealed that Drotar had accelerated from roughly 124 mph to 135 mph just seconds before the crash, applying the brakes only half a second before impact.
Drotar was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on Wednesday and is being held on a $540,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for Nov. 21.
Friends started a GoFundMe account for Pierre’s family after the crash.
“Natalie was more than a friend to so many of us — she was a shining light, a constant source of love, support, and adventure. Her bright spirit, her infectious laughter, and generous heart touched the lives of everyone she met,” the fundraiser said.
