Drunken golf cart ride ends with woman dead and driver in jail, Florida cops say

An Illinois woman’s Florida visit came to a deadly end when she accepted an early morning golf cart ride from a man accused of being intoxicated, according to investigators.

It happened just before 1 a.m. Sunday, March 9, in the Villages, about a 60-mile drive northwest from Orlando.

Investigators say 58-year-old Richard Allen Keil was driving the cart in a residential area when he came upon a parked vehicle and swerved to avoid hitting it, the Florida Highway Patrol reported in a news release.

“During the evasive maneuver, a 60-year-old female passenger from Norridge, Illinois, fell out of the golf cart and suffered serious injuries,” troopers say.

“Transported to an area hospital, the passenger later expired from injuries suffered during the crash.”

Keil, who lives in The Villages, was arrested and charged with DUI manslaughter, officials said. He is being held without bond.

The identity of the woman was not released, and investigators have not said how she and Keil are connected. Her home is about a 15-mile drive northwest from Chicago.

This story was originally published March 10, 2025 at 6:23 AM with the headline "Drunken golf cart ride ends with woman dead and driver in jail, Florida cops say."