MICHAEL LYNN WILLIAMS, APPELLANT/CROSS-APPELLEE,
v.
CITY OF EDGEWOOD, APPELLEE/CROSS-APPELLANT

Fla. 5th DCA | 1989-03-16
No. 88-1196
DAUKSCH, J„ concur., COBB, J., concurs specially with opinion.
541 So. 2d 122 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fifth District (1989) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases


Opinion of the Court
GOSHORN, Judge.

[*123] GOSHORN, Judge.

Williams appeals an order forfeiting his automobile pursuant to sections 932.701-932.704, Florida Statutes (1987). We reverse.

A law enforcement agency attempting to effectuate a forfeiture must prove by the preponderance of the evidence that the automobile “has been or is actually employed as an instrumentality in the commission of, or in aiding or abetting in the commission of, any felony”. Section 932.-701(2)(e) Florida Statutes (1987). As Judge Zehmer observed in Crenshaw v. State, 521 So. 2d 138, 141 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988), review granted, Case No. 72,181 (Fla. May 13, 1988).

[S]ome nexus must be found to exist between the occupant’s use of the vehicle and the prohibited criminal conduct beyond what may be characterized as remotely incidental use. (emphasis added)

Williams’ use of his BMW automobile to drive approximately one block to an apartment where he allegedly committed the crime of a lewd and lascivious act on a child can only be considered remotely incidental to his criminal conduct.

REVERSED.

DAUKSCH, J„ concur. COBB, J., concurs specially with opinion.

Concurrence
COBB, Judge,

COBB, Judge,

concurring specially.

In order to reverse the instant forfeiture, it is necessary to distinguish the facts here from those in Duckham v. State, 478 So. 2d 347 (Fla.1985), relied upon by the state to support an affirmance.

In Duckham the defendant drove alone to a restaurant where he negotiated a drug deal, and then drove alone to his apartment where he again met the putative purchaser (an undercover policeman) and the ultimate sale and delivery occurred there. Under the facts in Duckham the forfeited vehicle was used to facilitate the drug deal after it was already in progress; in the instant case the evidence does not show that the defendant’s use of his vehicle intervened during the progress of the criminal activity-


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Cited By

  • City OF Edgewood v. Williams, 556 So. 2d 1390 (Fla. 1990)
    …BARKETT, Justice. We review Williams v. City of Edgewood, 541 So. 2d 122 (Fla. 5th DCA 1989), because of asserted conflict with Duckham v. State, 478 So. 2d 347 (Fla.1985); In re Forfeiture of One 1983 Lincoln, 497 So. 2d 1254 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986); and Smith v. Caggiano, 496 So. 2d 853 (Fla. 2d DCA 1986).1 The issue pres…

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