Tammy Sytch Pleads Not Guilty In DUI Manslaughter Case
The legal situation revolving around Tammy Sytch's role in the death of a 75-year-old man is beginning to move forward. According to PWInsider, the WWE Hall of Famer officially entered a plea of not guilty on all nine charges against her this morning at her arraignment hearing in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Sytch is charged with one count of DUI manslaughter, one count of causing death while operating a vehicle with a suspended license, four counts of DUI causing personal injury, and three counts of DUI causing property damage.
It's now been over two months since Sytch was involved in a three-car accident when she rear-ended a vehicle at a traffic stop. The driver of the other vehicle, Julian Lasseter, ultimately died of injuries from the crash, while Sytch was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries of her own. She and her boyfriend, James Pente, were later sued by the family of the victim.
After a month-long wait for toxicology reports to come back, Sytch was arrested in early May when reports showed her blood alcohol level was 3 1/2 times over the legal limit. She was initially released on bail on May 7, but that was revoked shortly afterward and Sytch was returned to jail, where she has remained since. No change was made regarding her incarceration status at the hearing.
While Sytch made no statement today, Pente did, speaking with the Daytona Beach News-Journal shortly after the hearing concluded.
"She feels absolutely terrible," Pente said. "I can't emphasize it more. She just feels bad in general. Everybody's life's ruined."
When the News-Journal pressed Pente regarding any discussion about a plea deal, he had no comment.
Sytch worked for the World Wrestling Federation, now WWE, from 1995 to 1998, and briefly afterward for competitors Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling. She was an exceptionally popular manager, valet, and sex symbol in the late 1990s, but rumors of substance abuse followed her throughout her career. She's had multiple encounters with law enforcement over the past decade, including several previous DUIs.