Agency Erred; No Charges Filed In Teen's DUI Death

Shortly after midnight Oct. 8, Tyler Clark of Valrico drove six passengers in his 1995 Jeep Wrangler, investigators said. The Jeep was heading west on Bloomingdale Avenue, near Bell Shoals Road, when it careened into a tree.

Julie Busch/The Tampa Tribune

By JOSH POLTILOVE The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jul 11, 2007

TAMPA - A state agency erroneously reported that charges were filed against two adults it said allowed a 17-year-old Valrico boy to drink alcohol before his fatal accident nine months ago.

A news release filed Monday by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation saying the adults were charged was inaccurate.

State Attorney's Office spokeswoman Pam Bondi learned Tuesday afternoon that a recommendation for charges had been received by her office but had not been filed. When asked previously about the charges, she had said she couldn't comment on pending investigations.

"It was referred to us, and we're reviewing it," Bondi said Tuesday afternoon. "The matter has recently been sent to us to be reviewed for prosecution."

Department of Business and Professional Regulation spokesman Joe Friedman said his agency thought Monday that charges had been filed but acknowledged late Tuesday, after communicating with the State Attorney's Office, that they had not.

Alexis Antonacci, the regulation department's spokeswoman, said she thought there was a "miscommunication" between her agency's Tallahassee and Tampa region offices. She said the agency still was working to determine how the miscommunication occurred.

Shortly after midnight Oct. 8, Tyler Clark of Valrico drove six passengers in his 1995 Jeep Wrangler, investigators said. The Jeep was heading west on Bloomingdale Avenue, near Bell Shoals Road, when it careened into a tree.

He was killed and the passengers were injured.

Clark's blood alcohol level was above the legal limit at the time of the crash, investigators said.

On Monday, the department sent a news release announcing charges were filed July 3 by the department and the state attorney's office. The release said two adults were hosting a party where Clark and other teens had consumed alcohol.

The release said the agencies charged Lamar Justice and Tera McEntarffer, described as the mother of a person hosting the party that night, with allowing an "open house party." The misdemeanor charges were filed as part of a recently created program, Identifying Contributors to Alcohol Related Events, the release said.

McEntarffer - listed as Tara in some public records - did not return messages Monday or Tuesday.

Tyler Clark's mother, Denise Clark, said Tuesday that she hopes charges will be filed if necessary but that for now she feels terrible for McEntarffer's son.

"This poor kid is walking around now with people thinking his family contributed to Tyler's death," she said.

Tyler's father, Dean Clark, said he wasn't shocked by the factually inaccurate news release.

"I guess it's typical of bureaucrats not to know what the other is doing," he said. "I guess now I just have to wait and see how it all plays out, if they're going to pursue anything or let it go."

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.