DeLAND, Fla. (Court TV) — A woman accused of driving drunk when she allegedly slammed into a tollbooth on the beach, killing the person inside, appeared in court as prosecutors asked for her to remain behind bars.
Deanna Harrell appeared at a pretrial detention hearing on June 9, 2026. (Court TV)
Deanna Harrell, 35, is charged with vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter for the incident on June 1 that claimed the life of Tammie Jo Baker, 62.
Ahead of Tuesday’s hearing, prosecutors in the case had filed a request for Harrell to be held without bond, citing the serious nature of the incident and the defendant’s past driving history.
In the motion’s recitation of the facts, prosecutors said that Harrell had been drinking at a bar before multiple drivers saw her driving erratically. One caller reported that she had hit a mailbox before making an illegal U-turn; a second caller described the driver’s movements as “odd,” saying the defendant’s vehicle reversed on a side street and had been drifting into oncoming lanes.
Body camera video from first responders with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office showed the beach tollbooth demolished on the ground. Baker had entered the booth to start her shift only seconds before the crash.
Harrell was taken into custody a short distance away from the crash. Prosecutors said she ultimately stopped her truck when it became submerged in the ocean. Both civilian and law enforcement witnesses said they could smell a strong odor of alcohol on the defendant.
Prosecutors filed additional paperwork in support of their request to hold the defendant without bond that shows her driving history. While some of the documents remain sealed from public view, Court TV was able to identify a previous case in 2016 in which Harrell pleaded guilty to reckless driving. In that case, there was a collision after Harrell failed to brake properly while speeding. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay fines; she was offered the opportunity to pay the fines with community service.
Harrell is due to return to court for her arraignment on June 23.
