Travis Hill III Charged With DUI Homicide
By JOE SEELIG

SEBRING — A former Avon Park High School football starting quarterback was free Thursday on $102,000 bail, after being arrested and charged as the driver in a Dec. 30 rollover-crash that left a 16-year-old Coconut Creek girl dead.

After a two-month-long death investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, Travis Kelton “T.K.” Hill III, 18, of 1728 Palm St., Sebring, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) causing damage to property, DUI homicide — negligent vehicular manslaughter causing death to any human, and possession of alcohol by a person under the age of 21.

Hill lost control of a Ford pickup traveling north on County Road 621 south of Charlie Drive at about 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30.

The truck traveled onto the east shoulder of 621 as it entered a sharp curve in the road. It rotated counterclockwise flipping several times before landing on a barbed wire fence.

Kristin Marie Dessingue, who was not wearing her seat belt, died when she was ejected along with Hill as the truck overturned. An 18-year-old friend, Jake Randolph Dressel, escaped the crash with minor injuries.

Hill is a senior and was the starting quarterback for the Avon Park High School football team in his junior and senior year.

He was transported from the crash scene in critical condition with injuries to his neck and back. Family members were concerned about his neck and spine, bruised lungs, and a broken collar bone.

Blood drawn at the hospital revealed Hill’s blood alcohol level was .179. The legal limit for an adult driver is .080. A driver under the age of 21 can have his license suspended for exceeding a limit of .020.

The District 10 Medical Examiner’s Office said Dessingue’s death was caused by a blunt impact to her head.

The Highway Patrol went to the State Attorney’s Office with its findings. A warrant was issued for Hill’s arrest and he was booked into the Highlands County Jail at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

By 9:45 a.m. Thursday, Hill was released on bail, after first appearance before Judge Anthony Ritenour, who ordered the defendant not to leave Highlands County, gave an 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew and ordered that Hill not consume any alcohol and drive for business purposes only.
Hill’s arraignment date is set for 8:30 a.m. April 4.

The fatal crash came on the heels of Hill’s Dec. 16 arrest, when Sebring police Sgt. Greg Barlaug charged him with possession of alcohol by a person under the age of 21.

At about 1:41 a.m. Dec. 16, Hill was a back seat passenger in a green 2002 Nissan that was stopped for going 54 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone on Lakeview Drive.

Inside the car Barlaug found two partial cases of Natural Ice Light beer and a partial case of Busch Light. All of the occupants were under the age of 21.

A crushed beer can was found in the seat pocket in front of Hill.

“All the occupants of the vehicle had an odor of alcoholic beverage coming from their breath,” Barlaug reported.