Pittsburgh Couple Killed In High-Speed Crash In Fla.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A Pittsburgh-area family is mourning the death of their brother and his wife who were killed on Thanksgiving night when an alleged drunk driver slammed into their car in Florida.
"He was a drunk driver without a license, really; he should have never been on the road," said Sally Simpson-Mannas, one of Doug's sisters.
Police say 31-year-old Anthony Neeley was behind the wheel when his SUV crashed into a vehicle, killing Pittsburgh natives Douglas and Christina Simpson on Thursday night in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Simpson's sisters, who live in the Pittsburgh area, received the call that changed their lives Friday.
"For him to lose his life so tragically because of this, is so senseless," said Kathy Cerra, Simpson's sister.
Douglas, 64, and Christina, 53, moved to Florida in 2002 and were always proud of their Pittsburgh roots.
The couple was going home after a Thanksgiving dinner with friends.
Police say Neeley hit one car initially and drove away. He was allegedly driving at speeds of well over 100 miles an hour when he crashed into the Simpsons' vehicle.
The fact that their brother was killed by an alleged drunk driver makes the news even harder for the family to accept.
"My mother raised eight children on her own because she got rid of an alcoholic husband and my brother Doug truly hated alcohol," Cerra said.
"It would be one thing if the guy was going 50 miles an hour because accidents do happen, we all understand that, but this man was going over 100 miles an hour and murdered my brother," said Simpson-Mannas.
According to police, Neeley's blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. He now faces a number of charges including DUI manslaughter.
"That is our message we want to get out – don't drink and drive," said Simpson-Mannas. "It doesn't just affect them, it affects millions of people, it affects whole families."
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