Police report: Driver who crashed through pool hall had BAC of .402
The driver involved in a Cape Coral pool hall crash on Monday that killed a man reportedly had a blood alcohol content more than five times the legal limit.
Hospital staff conducted a blood test on William Henry Gulliver, 75, of St. James City, following the accident at Diamond Billiards Sportsbar & Grill. He had a BAC of .402, according to a report.
In Florida, a driver age 21 or over is considered “impaired” with a BAC of .08 or higher.
Cape police reported on Tuesday that the crash is alcohol related and criminal charges are pending.
At 4:56 p.m. Monday, Ronald P. Gravel, 60, of the Cape, sustained life-threatening injuries when Gulliver drove a Ford F-250 through the front windows of the pool hall, at 1242 S.W. Pine Island Road. Gravel was trauma-alerted to Lee Memorial Hospital, along with another victim, but he later died.
As of Wednesday, Tracy Marie Booker, 52, also of the Cape, was listed in fair at the hospital.
Two others were taken to the Cape Coral Hospital as a result of the crash. Another pool hall patron, Linda Girard, 58, of the Cape, sustained minor injuries. She has since been treated and released.
Gulliver had no injuries but was transported for observation. He also has been discharged.
The truck was parked in the parking lot of Diamond Billiards, facing the building. According to officials, Gulliver entered the truck and after several minutes, drove forward at a high rate of speed. The truck drove through the front windows and the interior and struck the main bar area head on.
At the time, Gravel, Booker and Girard were seated at the bar directly in the truck’s path.
Police reported that the truck hit them, with Gravel and Booker trapped between it and the bar.
\According to Ward Huey, the owner of Diamond Billiards, Gulliver was asked by a bartender to leave just before the crash. Gulliver was reportedly bothering some of the women and “groping” them.
“Actually, we had him thrown out the night before,” he said. “For the same reason.
Huey noted that it was about 60 feet from the point of entrance to where the truck come to a stop.
“We have a raised deck area. He had to go over a couple curbings,” he said.
“He had to be cracking along pretty good,” Huey added.
A husband and father, Gravel was the kitchen manager at the pool hall and had been employed for about six years. Diamond Billiards has helped to set up a GoFundMe account for his family.
“Ron, of course, was the bread winner,” Huey’s daughter, Dyan Thompson, said. “His wife doesn’t work, so we’re trying to raise money for funeral expenses and to help her live and get back on her feet.”
As of Wednesday evening, nearly $9,000 had been donated to the account.
Anyone interested in donating can do so online at: www.gofundme.com/rongravel.
Donations can also be dropped off at Diamond Billiards.
For more information on how to donate, contact Thompson at (239) 218-8597.
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