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Published on Tuesday, November 2, 2004
in the Daytona Beach News-Journal
DAYTONA BEACH -- A motorcyclist accused of speeding and causing the death of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper who wrecked his cruiser in an attempt to catch him was formally charged Monday by the State Attorney's Office.
The charges lodged against Donald Williams include aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. Williams, 39, is from Seffner, near Tampa.
Trooper Darryl Haywood of Palm Coast was killed Oct. 2 minutes after he spotted Williams racing east on Interstate 4 between DeLand and Daytona Beach, FHP officials said.
After seeing the motorcyclist, Haywood, who was heading west on I-4, turned around and tried to catch up to Williams, but his patrol car collided with another automobile after the right rear tire either blew or came apart, and the vehicle skidded off the highway into a tree.
Haywood, 49, joined the Florida Highway Patrol in March 2000 after serving with the New York City Police Department for 20 years.
Williams has been held without bail since Oct. 2 at the St. Johns County Detention Center in St. Augustine.