Alachua Man Sentenced to Jail and Probation, Charged With Vehicular Homicide

GAINESVILLE ‒ An Alachua man has been sentenced to 364 days in the Alachua County Jail followed by five years of probation after he entered a plea of nolo contendere after leaving the scene of an accident in June 2018.

In June 2021, 25-year-old Tyler Patrick Hughey was charged with the June 6, 2018, vehicular homicide of Paola Detarso-Palmo after he left the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury.

On Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, Hughey pled to a lesser charge of leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury in exchange for a year in jail and five years of probation. The maximum sentence for the charge is 15 years in state prison. In addition, Hughey paid $7,500 in restitution to the estate of the victim as part of the plea deal.

Hughey will also be required to serve 120 hours of community service at a trauma center or hospital with at least 20 of those hours spent speaking to youth groups. He must also attend a victim impact panel and advanced driver improvement course. He also received a three-year suspension of his driver’s license to begin upon his release from jail.

Judge Phillip Pena accepted the plea agreement.

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