Man Accused in 2nd DUI Crash Now in Rehab

A man accused in a DUI crash that sent two pedestrians to the hospital the night of Palm Harbor's Parrot Head Party is now in a treatment facility as he awaits his next court appearance later this month. During that court appearance, prosecutors plan to ask the judge to revoke Philip Billitteri's bail.

A Palm Harbor Patch investigation this month found that when Billitteri was arrested in a DUI crash in Palm Harbor on June 9, he was out on bail on a felony charge of DUI manslaughter in connection with a crash that killed his wife.

Authorities say the 59-year-old was driving west on Nebraska Avenue toward Alternate U.S. 19 on June 9 when he hit two women.

Annette Kurtz, 62, and Mary Taylor, 64, had just attended Palm Harbor's annual Parrot Head Party and were walking to their car when they were hit from behind as they crossed Nebraska Avenue near Billy Jack's Burger Shack.

One of the women landed on the windshield of Billitteri's car, shattering it. The other was found face down in the road.

Billitteri faces DUI manslaughter charges in the April 2010 crash that killed his wife, Sherry, 66, who was a passenger in the car he was driving. The couple lived in Trinity, where the deadly crash occurred.

A report for the April 2010 crash obtained by Palm Harbor Patch said that Billitteri told officers he had a couple drinks before the accident. Tests revealed his blood-alcohol level was .194. In Florida, a driver is presumed to be impaired at a blood-alcohol level of .08.

Pasco County prosecuting attorney Devan Jones says that Billitteri is now in the First Steps rehabilitation program. Prosecutors plan to ask the judge to revoke Billitteri's bail at his next court date, July 22. If Billitteri's bond is not revoked, prosecutors will request that he be required to wear an ankle bracelet during his rehab stay so his location can be tracked.

Attorney Christopher Frey represents Billitteri in the felony DUI manslaughter case. He says he is working closely with the Pinellas County public defender's office in Billitteri's most recent case.

"The cases are proceeding through the system accordingly and are under investigation, and we obviously have concerns for all parties," he said.

Billitteri has no previous record of DUI in Florida before his arrest in 2010. Palm Harbor Patch checked court documents and found no indication that Billitteri's license was suspended during the time of the accident in Palm Harbor; Frey and Jones declined comment on that.

Calls Palm Harbor Patch has made to Billiterri have not been returned.