DUI Driver Who Hit, Killed Child In Palmetto Gets Prison Time: State

PALMETTO, FL — A man who hit and killed a child in Palmetto last year while driving under the influence is heading to prison, according to a news release from State Attorney Ed Brodsky’s office.

Aaron Mark Naylor pleaded guilty in February to charges of driving while under the influence - manslaughter, possession of methamphetamine, possession of alprazolam, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting, obstructing or opposing an officer without violence, Brodsky’s office said.

He was sentenced Thursday to 24-and-a-half years in prison, followed by a mandatory period of probation for six months to participate in a DUI drug treatment program. Naylor’s driving privileges were also permanently revoked.

• Also Read: Boy Killed By DWI Driver Who Drove Onto Palmetto Sidewalk

The crimes carry a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison with a minimum mandatory sentence of four years for DUI manslaughter.

Alex Linzi and his 7-year-old son were jogging home along 8th Avenue West from the boy’s martial arts class on March 23, 2022, just after 6 p.m., when Naylor hit the child.

Naylor, high on methamphetamine and speeding in a rented van, drove up onto the sidewalk, barely missing Linzi and running directly through and over the child, the state attorney said. The boy suffered multiple injuries and he died later that evening.

Both methamphetamine and alprazolam were found in his van. He also resisted investigators’ attempts to obtain a blood sample, forcing them to physically restrain him. His blood later tested positive for methamphetamine, Brodsky’s office said.

“We are pleased the judge ruled on the side of justice and sentenced the defendant to the
maximum sentence possible in this case. While nothing will ever bring back the life of
their son, who already at 7 years old showed great promise and a bright future, we hope
that this at least brings some sense of closure and peace,” Assistant State Attorney Garrett Franzen said.