Truck driver handed mandatory life sentence without parole for intentional crash though group of people

A truck driver was handed a mandatory life sentence without parole for intentionally crashing into a group of men standing outside of a strip club. 

27-year-old Dylan Fogle was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Wednesday evening, December 3rd after a jury found him guilty of murder in the first degree, DUI manslaughter, two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, and two counts of DUI with serious bodily injury. The jury determined that Fogel had rammed into the group intentionally, resulting in the mandatory life sentence. 

According to Tampa Bay Times, Fogle and his friend Anthony Matelsky met for dinner and drinks before heading to Emperors Strip Club in Tampa, Florida in Matelsky’s pickup truck. Surveillance footage shows the two men briefly fighting in the parking lot before appearing to make amends and heading into the club. Fogel was eventually kicked out of the club for attempting to touch a dancer “in an inappropriate manner.”

During the following hour, Fogle walked down East Adamo Drive to where he had parked his company semi truck and drove it back to Emperors. He made 53 phone calls and send multiple texts during that time, including messages that read “Goodbye. I’m going to prison for vehicular manslaughter.”

Matelsky was eventually escorted out of the club for acting inappropriately with the same dancer, and was caught on surveillance footage fighting with patrons and staff near the loading dock at the rear of the club. Matelsky was pushed to the ground but quickly got up, and that’s when Fogle rammed his truck into the group of men. The people not injured or killed in that crash then pulled Fogle out of the truck and struck him multiple times before the police arrived. 

Fogle’s attorney argued that he was just trying to defend his friend, and that he applied the brakes at the last moment. 

“We’re trying to apply logic to a drunk, drunk man,” she said.

“He wanted to kill someone,” said Assistant State Attorney Christina Berkowicz. “And he wanted to use a vehicle to do it…. “You don’t get brownie points for that [hitting the brakes.]”

The guilty verdict was read at around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Shortly after, Judge Lyann Goudie sentenced Fogle to life in prison without parole as required by state law.