Johnny R. Ward v. State of Florida

2025-0770Fladistctapp4

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D ISTRICT C OURT OF A PPEAL O F T HE STATE OF F LORIDA
FOURTH DISTRICT
JOHNNY R. WARD,
Appellant,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
No. 4D2025-0770
[February 25, 2026]
Appeal from the Circuit Court for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit,
Martin 	County; 	William 	Loy 	Roby, 	Judge; 	L.T. 	Case 	No.
432018CF000772A.
Daniel 	Eisinger, 	Public 	Defender, 	and 	Sue-Ellen 	Kenny, 	Assistant
Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
James Uthmeier, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Anesha Worthy,
Senior Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellee.
PER CURIAM .
Johnny 	R. 	Ward 	appeals 	his 	convictions 	for 	driving 	with 	license
suspended and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.1
We affirm the conviction for driving with a suspended license without
further comment, but we reverse the conviction for leaving the scene of an
accident with property damage and remand for entry of a judgment of
acquittal.
While traveling on the Florida Turnpike, a civilian witness observed
Ward’s vehicle lose control, fishtail and go into the median of the highway
before ending up in a ditch on the shoulder of the road. Neither the civilian
witness, nor the troopers who responded to the accident scene, testified to
any damage to the median or to any car other than Ward’s. 	A required
element of section 316.061(1), Florida Statutes (2018), is “damage to a
1 The jury also found Ward guilty of a drug trafficking charge which is not
challenged in this appeal. The court imposed two “time served” sentences on the
driving convictions concurrent with a 30-year sentence on the trafficking count.
2
vehicle or other property which is driven or attended by any person[.]” No
trial evidence supported this element of the crime. See Colbert v. State, 49
So. 3d 819, 822–23 (Fla. 4th DCA 2010); C.T.T. v. State, 249 So. 3d 1320,
1321–22 (Fla. 1st DCA 2018).
Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.
KUNTZ , C.J., G ROSS and GERBER , JJ., concur.
* 	* 	*
Not final until disposition of timely-filed motion for rehearing.

OCR transcription; preserved printed pages are authoritative

DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
FOURTH DISTRICT

JOHNNY R. WARD,
Appellant,

Vv.

STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.

No. 4D2025-0770
[February 25, 2026]

Appeal from the Circuit Court for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit,
Martin County; William Loy Roby, Judge; L.T. Case No.
432018CF000772A.

Daniel Eisinger, Public Defender, and Sue-Ellen Kenny, Assistant
Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.

James Uthmeier, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Anesha Worthy,
Senior Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellee.

PER CURIAM.

Johnny R. Ward appeals his convictions for driving with license
suspended and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.!
We affirm the conviction for driving with a suspended license without
further comment, but we reverse the conviction for leaving the scene of an
accident with property damage and remand for entry of a judgment of
acquittal.

While traveling on the Florida Turnpike, a civilian witness observed
Ward’s vehicle lose control, fishtail and go into the median of the highway
before ending up in a ditch on the shoulder of the road. Neither the civilian
witness, nor the troopers who responded to the accident scene, testified to
any damage to the median or to any car other than Ward’s. A required
element of section 316.061(1), Florida Statutes (2018), is “damage to a

1 The jury also found Ward guilty of a drug trafficking charge which is not
challenged in this appeal. The court imposed two “time served” sentences on the
driving convictions concurrent with a 30-year sentence on the trafficking count.

vehicle or other property which is driven or attended by any person|.]” No
trial evidence supported this element of the crime. See Colbert v. State, 49

So. 3d 819, 822-23 (Fla. 4th DCA 2010); C.T.T. v. State, 249 So. 3d 1320,
1321-22 (Fla. 1st DCA 2018).

Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.
KUNTZ, C.J., GROSS and GERBER, JJ., concur.

* * *

Not final until disposition of timely-filed motion for rehearing.

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