Billy Lane, the Florida based chopper builder who was involved in a fatal crash two weeks ago, has been charged with driving under the influence manslaughter, driving with his license suspended and driving under the influence with serious bodily injuries. Lane turned himself in.
Lane was already driving without a license due to a previous charge in June. In that case he had been driving on the wrong side of the road and refused a breath test. His license had been suspended for a year.
Thanks, Justin, for the tip!
Link: Florida Today
Related: Billy Lane Crash Causes Fatality
Kevin Hogan says
I hope they bury him. This guy was in a position to help improve the image of bikers and instead he just feeds the stereotype. I guess success was just to much for him to handle, he needed to destroy a life he never expected to lead. Along the way he destroyed the life of another human being and on a two wheeler no less. I can’t believe some of the sympathy I’ve heard for the miscreant, “poor Billy”….. Billy Lane was living a dream life and apparently he couldn’t handle it. I hope he gets punished to the full extent of the law.
Matt says
Yeah.. He was clearly a boozer and reckless party-animal that never grew up despite his success. I wouldn’t mind seeing him go down (and his business too) for being an irresponsible idiot… Driving drunk, on a suspended license and still he had to pass over a double yellow line, obviously trying to satisfy his need for speed on public roads… moron.
coho says
Nothing less than a public flogging.
And not the fun Betty Page kind either, the really un-fun Tomas de Torquemada kind.
hoyt says
Among the numerous comments attacking or sympathizing Lane is the bigger issue of another drunk driving incident that ended an innocent life.
“First Offense” ? It only takes one time to KILL
hoyt says
….by comparison, more people fully comprehend that yelling “Fire!” in a public building is something that you just do not do.
When will driving and drinking be raised to this level?
DEALERDAVE says
BILLY IS A FREIND, A BROTHER & FOREMOST A BIKER. FOR ALL YOU GOD-FEARING, “HE DESERVE’S IT COMMENTS”, REMEMBER GEEKS, YOUR LIFE IS NOT OVER YET. WHEN TRAGEY STRIKE’S IN YOUR LIFE, HOPE YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON YOUR SIDE TO SUPPORT YOUR CANDY ASS’S. BILLY WILL DO WHAT ANY “REAL BIKER” WOULD DO. HE WILL FACE THE MUSIC,GET THE BEST LAWYER, & DO HIS TIME. NO EXCUSE’S . PERIOD !!
WE ALL DON’T GET TO LEAD THE PERFECT LIFE LIKE YOU SO CALLED “BILLY BASHERS”. BILLY WILL GET WHAT THE LAW GIVE’S HIM, & HE WILL HAVE TO LIFE WITH HIMSELF, KNOWING HE TOOK A LIFE. HE WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT, NOT YOU!. I SUPPORT BILLY FOR BEING HUMAN & HE WILL DO THE RIGHT THING IN REGARDS TO THE VICTIMS FAMILY. HEY, WHERE WAS THAT BARTENDER THAT WAS ON DUTY, STRING THEM UP TOO. YOU MIGHT AS WELL PUT JACK & COKE ON TRAIL WHILE YOU ARE AT IT. THIS IS A SAD BUT REAL PART OF EVERYDAY ‘AMERICAN LIFE”. IT HAPPENS IN EVERY STATE, EVERYDAY. MAYBE BECAUSE OF THIS SAD EVENT, SOME DRUNK ASS BIKER, (OR POLITICION,( REMEBER TED KENNEDY!!) WILL THINK TWICE & SAVE A LIFE.FOR “ALL YOU BILLY BASHERS” HAVE IT THE WAY YOU LIKE IT.BUT I SAVE BRO, HOW CAN I HELP YOU! DAVE FROM HARLEYSVILLE M/C
Richard says
DearlerDave,
I don’t think these comments are from “Billy Bashers”. These are people who are mightily offended by the fact that a well-known biker got drunk, drove recklessly, and killed another biker. Billy’s license had already been suspended for a previous suspected-drunk-driving (because he refused to take the breath or blood test). So, Billy should not have been driving at all, let alone driving while drunk (again!).
You say that Billy will do what “any ‘real biker’ would do”, but how many “real bikers” do you know who can afford to appear for arrest at their leisure, surrounded by four (4) high-paid lawyers?
You say that Billy “will do the right thing in regards to the victim’s family.” That is not possible. The right thing would be: don’t get drunk and drive, don’t cross the double lines to pass, and don’t crash into that scooter and kill their beloved family member. Ooops! Too late for that.
You are absolutely correct that drunk driving happens in every state, everyday. That is exactly why so many people are mad at Billy– because he is yet another example of a drunk driver, and we are opposed to drunk driving.
PS: All caps should be avoided if at all possible. Do you know where the Caps Lock key is located on your computer?
hoyt says
Don’t even talk about the bartender or Jack Daniels. It is no one’s responsibility but your own.
DEALERDAVE says
I GIVE , I’M WITH THE MASSES. “FRY BILLY”. YOU A**HOLE’S ARE ALL RIGHT. EYE FOR AN EYE. KILL THE MOTHER F***ER. OH, SORRY I THOUGHT WE WERE IN IRAG OR CHINA, WHAT’S THAT? OH I FORGOT, WE ARE ALL AMERICIANS, & QUESS WHAT, WE ALL HAVE RIGHTS !! BILLY IS WRONG, NO QUESTION. DEAD WRONG. THOSE WHO LOVED HIM & WANTED TO BE IN HIS SHOES, I DON’T THINK SO, NOT TOO MANY TAKERS NOW . BILLY WILL DO HIS TIME, AND ALL YOU IDIOT’S WHO DON’T THINK HE WOULD NOT GIVE ANY THING TO BRING THAT BROTHER’S LIFE BACK. WELL YOU DON’T KNOW BILLY !!. BRING ON ALL THE MUD YOU CAN SLING. BILLY WILL PAY HIS DEBT ACCORDING TO AMERICAN LAWS(EVEN IF IT TAKES 4 LAWYERS ). IF THAT ISN’T ENOUGH FOR ALL YOU “BILLY BASHERS”. THEN RUN FOR CONGRESS AND CHANGE THE LAW’S OR GET THE F**K OUT OF MY COUNTRY. YOU WANT BRING HIM DOWN , SORRY HE DID THAT HIMSELF, YOU WANT TO SUPPORT HIM AND THE FAMILY WHO LOST THEIR , CHILD, FATHER, SON, THEN SAY SO. WE ALL CAN SAY “BURN BILLY BURN” BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT IN THIS COUNRTY, EVEN IF HE USED A GUN, MOST LIKELY HE WOULD NOT GET THE “CHAIR”. HE WILL DO HIS TIME, ENEN THOUGH IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO REPALCE A LIFE. BUT IT IS “OUR LAWS”. LIKE YOUR MOM SAID” IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY”SHUT YOUR MOUTH”. I WILL SUPPORT BILLY FOR BEING A HUMAN.! DAVE FROM HARLEYSVILLE M/C
(The *** in this comment added by kneeslider)
RobC says
DUI with a suspended licence… and people wonder why they want to “fry” Billy…
The first case was a wake up call to him… the second one should send him to the slammer.
As a former (read no bike at present) biker this is exactly what we do not need, we try hard to educate the public that we are not all hellbent idiots that are permanently drunk and then he comes and ruins it all!
I have no time for morons that will not learn the lessons life dishes out.
hoyt says
DAVE,
support Billy with TOUGH love.
Don’t expect rational OUTRAGE to subside with this incident.
Use your energy & caps lock towards something better than lashing back at people. Sure there are f*-ups posting stupid shit about Billy on other blogs. They don’t get the bigger issue.
Don’t expect 4 lawyers or deep pockets to get a reduced sentence….
otherwise Billy might be the one dead on impact, having his chopper catapulted 64 feet away by another drunk driver.
DRUNK DRIVING MUST STOP. Period.
Badboy says
To all, lets remove the name: biker #1 drives wrong way on freeway, drunk then refuses breathalizer. Biker #1, with suspended license, now driving a truck and drunk, again, attempts to pass on a solid yellow line, (Illegal, right?) kills a person (your mom, dad, sister, brother, son or daughter) that is riding a moped. Point is:regardless of name or profession, if we live in a fair country, everyone should be treated the same, regardless. I think Billy is a talented bike builder with, what could have been, a great future. He made some poor choices (not the bartender) now he should pay like anyone else. Would we feel the same if it was Billy who was on the bike and a drunk hit and killed him????????????
Matt says
Hey Dealerdave,
While I can sympathize with your friend’s troubles, he still wound up killing someone with his reckless behavior. I rarely drink, and never drive if I do. I think alcohol is evil for reasons such as this. As I’m sure you can attest to, Billy was a partier and a very hard drinker. Then he got someone killed because of it. For that reason he deserves whatever his sentence is. I only hope he grows up and learns from the whole experience. If not, then he’s a waste of a human being – celebrity chopper builder or not!!!
sandie says
High paid lawyers??? I asked two lawyers who have been in Melbourne for twenty plus years and they have never heard of Kepler Funk. I thought when your license were suspended you received a letter from Dept. of Motor Vehicles or some agency. Looks like the North Carolina folks did not let the folks in Fl. know that he refused to take sobriety tests…hence one year of no license. If I were Billy I would hire a Gerry Spence. F Lee Bailey, Willie Gary or one of OJ Simpson’s lawyers. Leave the bartenders alone. They were not pouring it down Billy’s throat. Two weeks ago Sunday Billy was in Sebastian eating at the Roadside Inn….having breakfast. Then two nights before he was at THE CHART HOUSE in Melbourne. In Florida you can only sue for the amount of insurance one carries. Since he was driving a Dodge Sponsored truck, he most likely had $300,000 in liability insurance because that is what you must carry to lease a Dodge and Dodge does not want anyone digging in their pocket. Civil suits are something else. Who was the 22 year old passenger in Billy’s truck? Was she an employee? I am sure every ambulance chasing lawyer has contacted the Morelock family about bring suit against Billy for damages because a father, son and brother was killed. This is Florida the state that everyone who can will sue. That is why our insurance rates are so HIGH!!!!! Billy did wrong and Billy will pay with losing his freedom and parting with his money if he has any. Choppers Inc. is just that incorporated. Good luck to both families. I feel bad for everyone. All of our actions have conquences.
Jack Klarich says
This is why I quit drinking 19 years ago, I dropped my bike lost my wife and I am a better biker now. I thank God I never killed anyone. I pray for Billie and The family who lost a member. Please dont drinh and drive or ride.
BIG D says
BILLY WAS IN TWO WRECKS AND LOCKED UP TWO TIMES IN NC AND GOT DUI ALL WITH IN ONE BLOCK AND PEOPLE GOT HURT GET BILLY SOME HELP AND GOD BLESS ALL INVOLED
L.A. RIDER says
Lane is an irresponsible jerk who has no regard for anyone but himself. He killed a man just trying to get a young barslut home to bed. Boycott Choppers Inc. products. Lane deserves to go down hard for this.
Loophole says
dealerdave is as stupid as Billy…maybe even more so, because he continues to attempt to downplay the facts. Billy Lane is a drunk, Billy Lane is irresponsible, Billy Lane is a scofflaw and Billy Lane is now a
murderer.
No “good guy” would ever consider breaking the drunk driving laws over and over, drive on a suspended license and fight the troopers who come to take a blood sample.
That is the behavior of a punk. Someone who believes he is above the law.
Billy Lane is a punk and will pay with his freedom and lose all of his assets fighting the courts and paying off civil awards.
kneeslider says
OK, I think we’ve heard the various opinions here and I don’t want this to descend any further into a Billy is this or Billy is that, so we’ll shut it off here. If further developments come out in this case, we’ll update the post.