Man accused of killing a woman at That BBQ Place pleads not guilty; Family responds

Reporter: Olivia Jean Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
Cody J. Curtis’ mugshot. Credit: The Lee County Sheriff’s Office

The man who allegedly killed an 80-year-old woman at That BBQ Place while driving under the influence in Matlacha appeared in court on Tuesday.

Cody Curtis, 24, stands accused of DUI manslaughter when he slammed into outdoor tables at the restaurant, hitting five people and killing 80-year-old Mary Lou Sharp.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Curtis was driving a 1992 Nissan eastbound on Pine Island Road when he veered off the road and into the restaurant’s outdoor seating area.

Video recordings from the night of the incident saw Curtis conversing with FHP, with investigators stating that his blood alcohol level was at .1374 four and a half hours after the crash occurred

During his court appearance on Tuesday, Curtis appeared without a lawyer, stating that he signed up for a public defender on May 16.

Following his evaluation in the courtroom, Curtis pleaded not guilty to the above-mentioned charges.

Danielle Darna, Sharp’s grandaughter, was at the court appearance on Tuesday.

“Today, seeing him for the first time was very sad. Tears just rolled down my face. Every day is harder and harder without my grandma,” Darna said.

She sat in the same room as her grandmother’s accused killer face-to-face.

“I had a chance to stare at him. I was locked, and I couldn’t break the focus. But, he’s not really what I imagined someone that would have killed my grandma. But, yes, when I looked at him today, I was very upset, and the tears poured down. There was really no words that I can say when I saw him today. If he approached me, I wouldn’t even know what to say,” Darna said.

When she heard “not guilty,” she couldn’t believe it.

“It’s heart-wrenching, it really is, to know that he hurt so many people and, you know, did what he did, and the videos that show what he did, and he can have the nerve to stand there and plead not guilty. Really makes it that much harder for me. And I really hope that he gets the fullest of his sentence, the maximum sentence, that the courts will allow,” Darna said.

She continued to say, “There’s really no justice for my grandma because she’s never going to be back, but hopefully, in the end, we’ll get where we need to be, and then our family can kind of move on with our broken hearts and go from there.”

Darna’s sister, Kasha Darna, was also at the arraignment. She sent WINK News Reporter Olivia Jean this comment:

“I can’t begin to explain how the loss of our Grandmother has affected our family. The “not guilty” plea this morning tells me that he’s not sorry for his actions and will continue to prove his own innocence. As for me, I will continue to fight for justice in memory of my Grandmother. Our deepest thoughts & prayers go to those still recovering.”

Danielle said she plans to be at court for all of the hearings, not just for her grandmother but for the other four victims: Butch, Tom, Sharon, and Mike.

Curtis’s next court date is on July 23.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.