TAMPA – Sometimes miracle workers show up in the most interesting places.
In the Hillsborough County Courthouse Tuesday, an attorney became one such miracle worker and presented a gift to his client.
The backstory:
Timothy Shirey was arrested in September 2023 after a drunken rampage in Temple Terrace.
The police report described how the line worker in Tampa from Alabama was behind the wheel of a Dodge Ram Pickup truck when he intentionally rammed several vehicles at Fowler Avenue and Morris Bridge Road. One of those victims vehicles was a police car.
The Criminal Report Affidavit characterized his behavior as using the vehicle as a “deadly weapon,” intentionally striking those vehicles and the law enforcement officer who tried to intervene.
Shirey was arrested at the scene, and his blood alcohol level was tested with results showing a BAC of .17 and .16 more than twice the legal limit.
He was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail on 34 felony counts.
What they’re saying:
On Tuesday, Shirey appeared in Judge Lawrence Lefler’s court.
His attorney, Patrick Courtney, announced to the judge that he would be changing his plea to “guilty.” And that it would be a “best interest plea.”
Timothy Shirey and his attorney Patrick Courtney
Lefler asked for Shirey to address the court.
Shirey answered the judge. Following the line of questions, he asked about acknowledging his charges and the change of plea.
The state prosecutor amended the charges to allow for a downward departure in the sentencing guidelines, reducing the worst felony charges to lesser felonies in order to allow for the plea agreement to meet the new guidelines.
Shirey admitted that he understood all the charges and the consequences in the case.
The prosecution then presented to the court the facts of the case.
As he read the charges, the judge stopped him and asked about the facts of the case.
He then stopped the prosecutor and said to Shirey, “You better hug your lawyer. If this had gone to trial, I would have thrown the book at you.”
The prosecution admitted to the judge that Shirey was facing more than 30 years in Florida State Prison.
The judge then sentenced Shirey according to the plea deal.
What’s next:
Lefler sentenced Shirey to 364 days in Hillsborough County Jail with credit for time served.
That would be followed by 12 months of probation.
The court will address appropriate restitution according to the guidelines.
Shirey will also be allowed to transfer his probation to his home state of Alabama upon completion of his jail time.
The Source: This story was written based on the Criminal Report Affidavit and the court proceedings on Tuesday.