Carole Lanzer’s family fondly remembers the 81-year-old grandmother, mother and friend. Many of them spoke June 4 during the sentencing hearing of Jonathan Ryan Cuppels, who was behind the wheel of the vehicle that hit and killed Lanzer on March 6, 2023.
Speaker after speaker not only blamed Cuppels for the crash at Southeast 92nd Loop and Baseline Road, but also referred to the 40-year-old defendant as despicable, uncaring, selfish and unremorseful.
The emotional statements were delivered by Zoom, directly in the courtroom, and in statements read aloud in court by Assistant State Attorney Adam Smith or a victim/witness advocate from the State Attorney’s Office.
Circuit Judge Steven Rogers eventually sentenced Cuppels, from Fruitland Park, to 15 years in prison on charges of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter.
Cuppels’ sentence was part of a plea deal. He pleaded no contest. Cuppels’ driver’s license has been permanently revoked. He must complete a substance abuse program and serve 18 months on probation once he’s released from prison.
While on probation, Cuppels cannot consume any alcohol, take any illegal substances, or have any medication without a valid prescription. He must undergo random alcohol and drug screenings at his own expense. He was granted 465 days of credit for time served while at the county jail.
The crash
The judge told family members that he’s sorry for their loss. He said what happened to Lanzer was awful, and it’s never easy to lose a mother under these circumstances.
Florida Highway Patrol officials said Cuppels was driving a Subaru Forester SUV that was speeding along Southeast 92nd Loop when it ran the red light and slammed into Lanzer’s Toyota Camry, which had a green light at Baseline Road.
First responders spent several hours extracting Lanzer from the car, authorities said.
Suspecting Cuppels may be impaired, officials interviewed him. He told them he uses methamphetamine daily, had been taking the drug for five years, and had used it earlier in the day, according to the law enforcement account.
He admitted to driving the SUV and said he doesn’t like traffic in front of him. Officials said Cuppels was speeding. He has more than a half dozen driving infractions and two criminal convictions, records show.
About Lanzer
Lanzer was born in the Bronx, New York, and raised in Queens, one of her sons told the Star-Banner. She worked as a teacher.
Lanzer eventually moved to Del Webb Spruce Creek Golf & Country Club in Summerfield, where she loved playing mahjongg, her son said. She also enjoyed buying and selling vintage and custom jewelry on eBay.
The son said his mother had left a doctor’s appointment and was on her way home when the crash happened.
During the June 4 hearing, the son appeared by Zoom. He said the crash was preventable and Cuppels has a history of bad driving. He wanted a stiffer probation term and sentence.
Present in the courtroom, another son said the crash was senseless and he often wondered what or how his mother felt in her final moments.
He said his mother was a safe driver and will be missed. He wants more to be done about impaired driving.
Remembering Lanzer
Two grandchildren had their statements read aloud separately. One, a grandson, commented on how his grandmother was the link to their past because she could tell them about their family history. He said he wished she was still alive so he could talk with her.
The second, a granddaughter, said her grandmother’s death has affected her and the family. She said she’s going to miss receiving texts from her grandmother and them shopping together.
Lanzer’s daughter, also in the courtroom, called her mother smart, thoughtful and funny. She said her mother loved people and they loved her back.
She said Lanzer also was her best friend. Since her mother’s death, she said, she has had a difficult time coping.
The woman said her mother served the community and was a role model to many people. She didn’t think Cuppels deserved a plea bargain.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
(This story was updated to add a video)
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: 15-year prison sentence for man charged in 2023 fatal traffic crash
Reporting by Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner | USA TODAY Network
