OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla., Dec. 11, 2024—A Texas man was sentenced to 20 years in the state prison for charges stemming from a fatal 2022 north Okaloosa County traffic accident.

Tristen Cole Parker, 28, from Midlothian, Texas, pleaded no contest to felony DUI negligent manslaughter, felony DUI causing serious bodily injury and driving with a suspended license, a misdemeanor offense.

Parker pled not guilty at his initial appearance before the court in October 2022, according to court records.

He was sentenced today in Okaloosa County Court following an Oct. 31 plea hearing.

In the early morning hours of Oct. 15, 2022, Parker was driving 62 mph in a 30 mph zone southbound on Robinson Road in north Okaloosa County, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

He failed to stop at the stop sign at State Road 85 and Robinson Road/State Road 393, causing his 2012 Dodge bucket truck to collide with a 2011 Jeep heading west on Hwy 85, driven by off-duty Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Kevin Ray, 47, of Cantonment, Fla.

The deputy was pronounced dead at the scene. His 15-year-old daughter, who was a passenger, suffered significant injuries, according to the release. She was transported to the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center in critical condition and later flown to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla.

During the FHP accident investigation, Parker was discovered to be under the influence at the time of the crash with a blood alcohol level of .157 six hours after the crash, according to the release.

He was placed under arrest the night of the accident and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.

Staff and FHP release