Charges pending in fatal rollover as CCPD continues with investigation

By CONNOR HOLMES
published in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze 8/21/09

Police continue to investigate an alleged drunk driving crash which took the life of Shawn M. Hough, 27, Wednesday evening.

Hough was killed in a fatal rollover that occurred along Santa Barbara Boulevard at about 10:52 p.m. According to police, Hough was a passenger in a 1999 Dodge Avenger from which he was ejected and pinned beneath, causing him fatal injuries.

Hough was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m. Thursday.

The driver, Andrew Worner Curl, 26, had a blood alcohol level of .257 when the crash happened, more than three times the legal limit to drive in Florida.

Curl received minor injuries in the crash.

Charges are pending against Curl, police said Thursday.

Curl has previously been charged by police in Lee County, beginning in 2001 with domestic battery, robbery, violating open container liquor laws, battery and driving with a suspended license.

Court records indicate domestic battery charges were dropped in 2002, though Curl was also convicted of robbery the same year.

According to police, Curl was driving northbound on Santa Barbara Boulevard when he lost control of his vehicle. The car spun counterclockwise onto the property of 1236 Santa Barbara Blvd., where it ejected and rolled over Hough, who was not wearing a seat belt.

Hough is the fifth traffic fatality in Cape Coral this year.