The Florida Highway Patrol continues its investigation into an accident that claimed the life of a man driving a golf cart in the Village of Glenbrook.
Richard J. Bolender had been at the wheel of a 2000 Parr Car at 9:50 a.m. June 7 westbound on Talley Ridge Drive when he pulled into the automobile lane to make room for a pedestrian.
A 2005 Buick LeSabre driven by 43-year-old Tara Malara of The Villages had been westbound behind Boldner’s golf cart and struck it when it entered her lane, a report from FHP indicated. The golf cart struck a curb and overturned. Bolender was ejected from the golf cart which overturned onto him. Malara, and a two-year-old girl traveling in the car with her, escaped injury.
Bolender died a week later due to injuries suffered in the accident.
On Friday morning, a witness to the accident re-walked the Talley Ridge Drive route with an FHP investigator, describing in detail what he saw on June 7.
Malara is on probation stemming from an arrest last year in a Lady Lake neighborhood known for drug sales.
She ran a stop sign at about 10:30 p.m. Jan. 27, 2016 and was pulled over a by Lady Lake police officer. She “appeared nervous” according to an arrest affidavit. A search of her purse turned up three syringes and six pills prescribed to someone else. Malara, who was living at 3089 Glenwood Place at the time of the arrest, told the police officer that the pills were from a friend’s house she had just visited prior to the traffic stop. The police officer also discovered a New Jersey arrest warrant that had been issued for Malara on drug charges. She was arrested on charges of possession of hydromorphone without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia. Malara was booked at the Lake County Jail and released a few hours later after posting $2,000 bond.
She entered a plea of no contest in the case on July 21 in Lake County Court. She was sentenced to three years probation.
According to the probation department, Malara’s life appeared to be on the upswing.
In an April 18, 2017 letter to Judge William Law, a probation officer wrote that Malara had taken part in the “Thinking For A Change” program. During the 13-week program, Malara voluntarily participated in the program which required her to report to the probation office twice a week for a minimum of about two hours for class participation.
“Over the course of time, our instructors have seen remarkable progress which is consistent with the statistical data that has been observed since the onset of this program nationally,” Correctional Probation Supervisor E.L. Lawson wrote in the letter.
Lawson recommended that the balance of the cost of Malara’s supervison be waived.
“This incentive would undoubtedly make an indelible impression reminding her that hard work is always the best option and most assuredly yields positive results,” Lawson wrote.
