July 29, 2026
PRESS RELEASE
(Okaloosa County, Florida), On July 28, 2026, after a two-day trial, Benjamin David Raser was found guilty as charged of DUI Manslaughter and DUI causing Serious Bodily Injury.
The investigation revealed that at approximately 9:00 p.m. on August 22, 2023, Benjamin Raser was driving a Ford F-150 northbound on Wright Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Investigators determined that at the time of the crash, Raser was traveling at an estimated speed of 60 to 70 mph in a posted 30 mph zone. As Raser approached the intersection of Wright Parkway and Holmes Boulevard, Raser failed to stop at the four-way stop.
As a result, Raser’s vehicle entered the intersection and collided with the driver’s side of a four-door sedan driven by 52-year-old Demetrius Thomas. The force of the impact pinned Mr. Thomas inside his vehicle and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Medical Examiner testified that Mr. Thomas died due to significant blunt force trauma and internal bleeding.
Raser’s passenger, Garrett LeBlanc, survived the collision but suffered cat-astrophic spinal cord injuries that left him permanently disabled. Raser was not injured in the crash.
During the traffic homicide investigation, members of the Fort Walton Beach Police Department obtained and executed a search warrant for a sample of Raser’s blood. Testing revealed that Raser had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.187—more than twice Florida’s legal limit of 0.08.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for August 20, 2026 before the Honorable Judge William Stone. Racer faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Fort Walton Beach Police Department. Assistant State Attorney Leah Glisson prosecuted this case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida. For further information, please contact Ms. Glisson at 850-689-5620.
