How often are DUI charges reduced? I-TEAM finds nearly 3 in 10 cases lowered to reckless driving in Duval, Clay counties

A deadly crash has left Delinda Heinrich’s family grieving — and asking whether the justice system gave the driver accused of killing her too many chances.“He should never have been out,” Heinrich’s sister, Rhonda Clay, said. “If they would have kept him until October, none of this would have happened.”Kevin Hoffman had been arrested for DUI in 2025, about a year before the July 2026 crash that killed Heinrich. His attorney negotiated a deal in which Hoffman pleaded no contest to the lesser charge of reckless driving, according to court records.Hoffman received 364 days of misdemeanor probation. The conditions included an ignition interlock device that measures alcohol on the driver’s breath, alcohol education and community service. After Hoffman completed the requirements, a judge ended his probation in June — about six months early.Thirty-seven days later, Florida Highway Patrol troopers say, Hoffman was driving 90 mph in a 45-mph zone when he struck and killed Heinrich, who was ridi