A VENICE WOMAN HAS BEEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH A FATAL ACCIDENT ON NEW YEAR’S DAY. AUTHORITIES SAY 24 YEAR OLD SHANNON ZIMNIE TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS 42 YEAR OLD RICHARD JONES OF SARASOTA WHO WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL WHEN A FORD TAURUS CRASHED INTO A HOME ON THE 4600 BLOCK OF ARGONAUT ROAD IN VENICE WHILE TRYING TO ESCAPE DEPUTIES. THEY WERE TRYING TO PULL THE CAR OVER BECAUSE IT COULDN’T STAY BETWEEN THE LINES ON ALLIGATOR ROAD. JONES DIED AT THE SCENE AND A PASSANGER IN THE VEHICLE TOLD AUTHORITIES FROM THE BEGINNING THAT ZIMNIE WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL. THEY HAVE BEEN COLLECTING AND ANALYZING EVIDENCE SINCE. ZIMNIE’S WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE IN THE CRASH, WHICH CREATED THE DOUBT. ZIMNIE IS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF VEHICLULAR MANSLAUGHTER AS ONE OF THE TWO WOMEN WAS PREGNANT AND LOST A BABY. SHE IS ALSO CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS OF DUI WITH SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, TWO COUNTS OF DRIVING WHILE HER LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED WITH DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY, AND ONE COUNT OF FLEEING TO ELUDE. SHE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND IN THE SARASOTA COUNTY JAIL.
