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Fugitive facing DUI manslaughter charge captured after being spotted in bar
Gloria Gomez reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - A man who spent 21 days on the run is back behind bars.
Three weeks ago, fugitive Joseph Higgins was a no-show for his trial on a DUI manslaughter charge. But on the Fourth of July weekend, he was caught at a bar in Apollo Beach.
Court records show someone recognized him and called authorities.
Someone saw Higgins at a bar over the holiday weekend and called authorities.
Three weeks ago, Tampa Judge Laura Ward issued a bench warrant after Higgins skipped town on the first day of his trial.
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While a fugitive task force team was assigned to track him down, a pool of prospective jurors was waiting outside the courtroom for the first day of jury selection.
Higgins will be back in court on Wednesday to set a new trial date after being on the run for 21 days.
The prosecution’s witnesses had to sit and wait for hours until being excused after Higgins eluded capture.
On January 3, 2021, Higgins is accused of driving drunk and causing a fatal crash in Hillsborough County that killed Karrie Lewis. Higgins was charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. His trial was set to start last October but got pushed back to this June.
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Now, Higgins is back in jail and his legal troubles are far from over.
He is due back in court on Wednesday to set a new trial date.