Ex-NFL wide receiver Donté Stallworth marks anniversary of morning he killed pedestrian in drunk driving accident with Instagram photo

  • On March 14, 2009, the NFL player fatally struck 59-year-old Mario Reyes in a drunk driving accident in Miami
  • He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and spent 24 days behind bars
  • He marked the five year anniversary of the incident on Friday with a moving Instagram post
  • 'It's never acceptable to drive under the influence,' he wrote. 'You don't want to live with these regrets I have from my irrevocable decision...'

By Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter

PUBLISHED: 00:05 EST, 16 March 2014 | UPDATED: 00:05 EST, 16 March 2014


Five years ago, former NFL player Donte Stallworth got behind the wheel of his car drunk: it is a decision he has always regretted.

Stallworth served 24 days behind bars for fatally hitting a pedestrian, 59-year-old father Mario Reyes, in a drunk driving accident.

Although the sentence was short, he believes living with the impact of his bad decision has been far worse punishment.

On Friday, he marked the five-year anniversary of that horrific moment with a reflective post on Instagram.

'There's nothing I can do to reverse that day, but hopefully you guys will think of me and make better decisions than I did that morning,' he wrote in his Instagram post caption.

'You don't want to live with these regrets I have from my irrevocable decision... Trust me. #BeSmarter.'

Dealing with the pain: Former NFL player Donte Stallworth (pictured) still lives with regret after killing a pedestrian while under the influence five years ago

Dealing with the pain: Former NFL player Donte Stallworth (pictured) still lives with regret after killing a pedestrian while under the influence five years ago

No DUI: Former NFL player Donte Stallworth marked the five-year anniversary of the horrific moment he fatally struck a pedestrian while drunk driving, with this Instagram post on Friday

No DUI: Former NFL player Donte Stallworth marked the five-year anniversary of the horrific moment he fatally struck a pedestrian while drunk driving, with this Instagram post on Friday

Regretful: Donte Stallworth shared his regret about his poor decision-making five years ago with his Twitter followers on Friday

Regretful: Donte Stallworth shared his regret about his poor decision-making five years ago with his Twitter followers on Friday

On March 14, 2009, the then-Ceveland Browns wide receiver was charged with killing Reyes, a construction worker, who police said was running across the street to catch a bus when the drunk athlete hit him with his car.

Stallworth's blood-alcohol level after the crash was .126, well above Florida's legal limit of .08, according to results of a blood test. 

 

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According to a police report, Stallworth was drinking at a club in the Fountainebleau hotel on South Beach on the morning of the crash.

He left to go to a nearby home - it's not clear if the home was one of Stallworth's three Miami-area properties - and then headed out to the causeway where Reyes was struck.

'I hit the man lying in the road,' Stallworth told officers arriving to investigate the crash, according to the affidavit.

Convicted: Donte Stallworth (center) pleaded guilty to manslaughter and spent 24 days behind bars in relation to Mario Reyes's death in 2009

Convicted: Donte Stallworth (center) pleaded guilty to manslaughter and spent 24 days behind bars in relation to Mario Reyes's death in 2009

Stallworth pleaded guilty to manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol in exchange for a lighter sentence. His charges carried a 10 to 15 year prison term.

However he was ordered to serve just 30-days behind bars because of his cooperation with investigators, the fact he remained at the scene following the accident and the wishes of the victim's family.

Stallworth reportedly reached a confidential financial settlement with Reyes' family.

Stallworth ended up spending just 24 days in jail.

'I am truly sorry,' Stallworth said at his DUI manslaughter sentencing. He also said he was 'grief-stricken' over the incident.

Authorities suspended Stallworth's driver's license for life and ordered him to pay $10,000 in fines and perform 1,000 hours of community service.

Back in the game: After the incident, Stallworth was suspended for the 2009 season, but returned to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins (pictured) and New England Patriots after being reinstated by the NFL

Back in the game: After the incident, Stallworth was suspended for the 2009 season, but returned to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins (pictured) and New England Patriots after being reinstated by the NFL


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Sounds like the victim was jaywalking when he was struck. That and the fact the victims family likely got millions of dollars in damages is why he got a short jail sentence. No more drivers license "forever", what ? What about other drivers who are are fault in a fatal accident, they don't all lose their drivers licenses ? I wish the law would treat everybody equally but it doesn't.

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24 WHOLE days????wow

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He should live with that regret all of his life.

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In England you would have got a fine that's all

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Cool, lol...hey. look both ways before crossing the street...I bet in England there are many more buses and if you miss one, another one will be along shortly, here in the USA that might have been the only bus to come along in the hour.

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Well he pleaded guilty and shows remorse and is making awareness about drunk driving so i guess he has changed.

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Nigel Ben

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...just another self-absorbed wealthy athlete "saved" from the legal system that would have incarcerated you and I, for Years and Years...yep, just another NFL-Felon role model...

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You're wrong in this case. If Donte had pled Not Guilty they couldn't have convicted him for vehicular homicide. The guy he hit ran out of nowhere into the road. This was not a pedestrian at a cross-walk situation. Dante Stallworth played college ball at my school, so I'm more familiar with him than most. He still comes back to Tennessee and talks to our current players about life choices and how one wrong choice can lead to a life full of pain and regret. There is no doubt he lives with his burden every day.

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Why was the victim running across the street to catch the bus, likely because there were too few buses and if he missed that bus, there been no more buses to catch a ride to work. USA public transportation is the pitts. It needs way more funding but then NASA needs more rovers to explore Mars

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I really hope this post will truly resonate with his followers and save lives in the future.

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He genuinely seems remorseful. What he did was stupid and horrid. But he didn't take off and leave the scene. He cooperated with the police. He's living his life with remorse. I do think his sentence has been served, in this case, and admire his better qualities.

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It was pedestrian error.The 24 days was for the drunk part.If he hadn't been drinking it would have been an accident and he would have gotten no time.

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Thats what don't agree about the law...near me we had some dude who drove through a flashing red light at 1 or 2 am and was T bone by a car he did not see coming. His 2 female co workers who were just 19-20 years old were both killed in the crash. He got NO jail time because he was not drinking, just driving foolishly when he ran the flashing red light in a 55 mph zone. UGH

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